


TMNT and the Legendary Creatures

by hummerhouse



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M, Horror, M/M, Multi, Supernatural Elements, Suspense, Turtlecest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-03
Updated: 2018-07-09
Packaged: 2018-09-06 06:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 88,581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8738680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hummerhouse/pseuds/hummerhouse
Summary: Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.Word Count: 16,184Rated: PG-13  2k3Summary: A 100 Theme Challenge multi-part series.  Based on the ghosts, demons, yōkai, obake, yūrei, and other legendary creatures of Japanese folklore and mythology.  Very much inspired by shows like Supernatural, X-Files, and Night Stalker.  Credit goes to Yokai.com, and Wikipedia which were used as references.Please note: while there are many images of yokai on the internet, I have only used those that are in the public domain, listed as free to share and use, or have been commissioned by me or gifted to me.!!~~Winner in the TMNT Universal Reader’s Choice Awards 2017: (Mature Ballot) Most Interesting Original Character (Mr. Hidesato) 1st Place~~!!





	1. Introduction

**Author's Note:**

> ~This wonderful preview image was created by the very talented PowderAkaCaseyJones It was commissioned specifically for this fan fiction.  
> 

            “How much of this junk do we gotta go through?” Casey asked, lifting a brightly colored vase out of a curio cabinet.

            April came up next to him and took the vase from his hand, carefully returning it to its shelf.  “Just this room,” she answered.  “The job is to catalogue, not to touch.”

            “So why am I here?”  Casey wandered over to the one window in the room and looked out at the garden.  Dusk made it difficult for him to see more than a few feet outside.

            “I told you,” April said.  “There are some really valuable things here and I don’t want to be by myself at this time of night.  Mr. Hidesato’s passing was in all the papers and there are thieves who can actually read.”

            “The way this room was locked up, I don’t think a thief could get in here,” Casey said, tapping the glass with the knuckle of one finger.  “I’m pretty sure this is that bullet proof stuff and it’s double paned.  Hidesato, isn’t that the name of the guy who hired you?”

            “His attorney hired me,” April said, correcting him.  “The deceased Hidesato was the new owner’s uncle.”

            “This is boring,” Casey said, turning around and making a face at his girlfriend.

            “You’re being paid for your time,” April said as she typed information into her tablet.  “Branching out into this field helps me pay my bills too.  Why don’t you sit down and read a magazine or a book?”

            “They’re in Japanese,” Casey said, strolling over to the large desk that sat on one side of the room.  He pulled the leather upholstered chair back and collapsed into it, reaching over to take the letter opener out of the desk set.

            “Then stare out the window,” April said, continuing her work.  “There aren’t many Japanese gardens in the middle of New York.”

            “You’ve seen one tree, you’ve seen them all,” Casey said, balancing the letter opener on one finger.

            “If you drop that and damage the furniture, it comes out of your pay check,” April said, though she wasn’t even looking in his direction.

            Grimacing, Casey tossed the thin blade into the air and then caught it.  Placing it back into the desk set, he looked over the slightly scarred wooden desk top, seeing nothing of interest.  Curious, he pushed the chair back enough so that he could open the center desk drawer and began poking around.

            “You’d think a guy with so much money would have a nicer desk,” Casey said, closing that drawer and opening one on the right hand side.

            “That’s an antique,” April told him.  “Most of the things in this room are antiques.”

            “Ain’t that just another word for old?” Casey asked with a grin.  He shut that drawer and opened one beneath it.

            “No, it’s a word meaning old and _valuable_ ,” April said.

            “Yeah, well the desk has to be more valuable than the crap in it,” Casey said, moving to the left hand side.  “All I’m finding here are papers.  Don’t ask me what any of them say ‘cause they’re in Japanese.”

            “Too bad Master Splinter isn’t here,” April replied.  “He could read them.”

            “I have a feeling it ain’t nothing very interesting,” Casey said, tossing a handful of folders back into the drawer.

            “Try not to make a huge mess of those things,” April said.  “Mr. Hidesato is supposed to be here at eight.  I’d like to be finished by then so we can leave him in peace.”

            “Good, we can go get something to eat then,” Casey said.  “I’m starving.”

            April set her tablet down and approached a wooden black lacquer cabinet.  The front was covered in hand-painted cranes and pine trees, and there was a brass lock keeping the cabinet securely fastened.

            Pulling a ring of keys from her pocket, April found one that fit the cabinet’s lock and opened the doors.  On the shelves inside were boxes of various sizes and April opened each, finding miniature figurines in ivory and jade.

            One box she could not open.  It was a domed coffer, a strongbox, decorated in gold hiramaki-e and inlaid in mother-of-pearl on a black lacquer ground.  There was a thick hasp keeping the box closed and April did not have the key to it on the ring that the attorney had given her.

            “This is curious,” April said, taking the coffer over to the desk and setting it down.  “It’s heavy and there are odd symbols drawn into the leaf and flower designs on the box.  The design is everywhere, including the underside.  I’ve never seen anything like it.”

            “Can’t ya’ get it open?” Casey asked, leaning forward to examine the coffer.  “If it’s heavy it’s probably full of gold.”

            “I haven’t a key,” April said.  “I’m sure this coffer is sixteenth century Japanese and quite valuable.  Perhaps Mr. Hidesato has the key with him.”

            “That means we don’t get to find out what’s inside,” Casey said, sounding disappointed.  “This is the only interesting thing I’ve seen all night.”

            “It’s only interesting because we can’t open it,” April retorted.

            “I bet I could pick this lock,” Casey said, once more reaching for the letter opener.

            “Absolutely not,” April said, plucking the opener from his hand.  “The attorney told me if I didn’t have a key to something that was locked, I wasn’t to attempt to open it.  Those instructions were from Mr. Hidesato himself.”

            Casey grumbled something under his breath and sat back with his arms crossed.  After ensuring herself that he wasn’t going to mess with the coffer, April went back to her inventory of the other items in the cabinet.

            “It doesn’t make sense to have a treasure chest and not have the key to it,” Casey complained.  “If the attorney had it he’d have given it to you.”

            “I have enough to do without worrying about one coffer,” April said.

            “We should look for the key,” Casey insisted.

            “Where?” April asked, glancing at him over her shoulder.  “This house is huge and I was only asked to catalogue this one room.  If I don’t finish on time I don’t get paid and by the way, neither do you.”

            “So we’ll look in here,” Casey said, the excitement of a hunt pushing his boredom away.  “The chest is in this room and if it was mine, I’d have the key nearby.”

            “I’ve been through the room without finding any keys,” April said.  “You went through the desk and didn’t find one.  It’s not here.”

            Casey stared at the coffer and then his eyes drifted to the desk.  Snapping his fingers, he start feeling around the edges of the desk top.

            “What are you doing?” April asked, turning around to watch him.

            “Don’t ya’ remember those treasure hunting movies?  Old desks always have hidden drawers, ya’ just have to press on the right spot,” Casey told her.

            “Good luck with that,” April said with a hint of sarcasm.

            Happy that Casey had something to occupy his time, April returned to the job of listing the contents of the cabinet.  She could hear him muttering to himself and at one point noticed that he’d crawled under the desk.

            A few blissfully quiet moments passed before April heard a click and then Casey shouted triumphantly, “I found it!”

            When she looked over, April saw a small drawer protruding from the underside of the desk.  Casey stood next to it, holding an intricately designed metal key in his hand.

            “It’s got the same design on it as the lock on this box,” Casey said, spinning the coffer around to face him.

            April took a few steps in his direction.  “We shouldn’t open it.  The attorney said Mr. Hidesato’s instructions were specific; do not open anything we haven’t got a key for.”

            “But we’ve got the key,” Casey argued, inserting it into the lock despite April’s protests.

            “Yes, but it wasn’t given to us,” April said.  “The intent of the instructions still stand.”

            “That’s nitpicking,” Casey said as he turned the key.  The hasp immediately popped loose and Casey lifted the coffer’s lid.

            “What’s in there?” April asked, now overcome with curiosity.  She couldn’t see into the coffer because Casey’s body was in the way.

            He turned towards her, holding something aloft.  “It’s full of coins,” he said, displaying the one he’d extracted from the box.  “They’re all nestled in their own little slots.”

            “That looks like a Wado Kaichin,” April said, examining the coin as Casey held it.  The coin was round with a square cut-out in the center that had been sealed up.  “I believe it’s made of silver.”

            “Not as cool as gold, but still pretty nice,” Casey said, “except that all of them have this stuff that looks like red wax filling up the middle.”

            “Perhaps it’s a ceremonial thing,” April said.  “Put it back and close the box, I’ll make a detailed inventory of the contents when I finish with the cabinet.”

            She moved back to the cabinet but Casey continued to look at the coin, holding it up to the light.  “Hmm, ya’ know, it looks like there’s something inside the wax.”

            “Those are probably impurities,” April said.  “Just put it back Jones.”

            Her use of his last name was a good indication that she was serious, but Casey wasn’t really listening.  Using his thumb nail, he began to chip the wax seal off of the coin.

            The sudden silence alerted April and she turned in time to see the flakes of red wax drifting to the floor.

            “Casey, no!” April called out in alarm.  “What do you think you’re . . . ?”

            Before she could finish the sentence a high pitched wail reverberated through the room and then a bluish mist sprang out of the center of the coin.  It hung in the air for a moment, becoming a wispy shadow that quickly formed into the shape of a horridly grotesque face.

            In the next second it dove at Casey.  Crying out, he dropped the coin and flung himself sideways, landing on the desk and striking the coffer.  The box slid across the desk top and over the edge, landing with a crash on the floor.

            Coins scattered everywhere, the wax seals breaking loose on contact with the hard wooden floorboards.

            Casey rolled off of the desk as what seemed like a hundred glowing wisps of smoke in varying colors flew out in every direction.

            “Look out!” Casey yelled.

            His warning wasn’t necessary, April had already thrown herself down behind the sofa.  The pair watched in horror as the clouds of smoke mingled overhead, covering the ceiling, and then separated into individual columns before disappearing through the exterior wall.

            The wailing sound left with the smoke.  As silence settled on the room, April and Casey slowly sat up, both wide eyed with disbelief.

            Suddenly the double doors at the end of the room burst open, making the pair jump.  Standing in the entrance was an elderly Japanese man, looking greatly alarmed.

            “What have you done?” he demanded.

            Striding into the room as April and Casey stood up, the man’s eyes landed on the coins that were scattered on the floor all around the desk.

            “Mr. Hidesato?” April asked.

            “No, oh no,” Mr. Hidesato moaned, ignoring April’s question.  He cautiously approached the desk and went around to the working side where he gingerly lifted the coffer.  Turning his head, he told the pair, “You should not have opened this.  You let them escape.”

            Casey sheepishly scratched at his neck and said, “That’s my fault, sir.  I, uh, found the key and got curious.  I couldn’t resist taking a closer look at one of the coins.”

            “Did you also feel the need to remove the wax seal that kept them bound?” Mr. Hidesato asked angrily.  “Do you have any idea what you have unleashed upon this city?”

            April walked over to the desk to join the men.  “What were those things?  What was released?”

            Placing the coffer on the desk, Mr. Hidesato examined it for damage as he answered.  “Those were the Legendary Creatures.  The responsibility for capturing and keeping them imprisoned was entrusted to my family centuries ago.  My uncle should never have left the coffer where a heta could lay hands upon it.”

            “Heta?” April asked.

            “Unskillful, awkward,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            April cast a sharp look in Casey’s direction.  “You’re right on both counts.”

            “Hey!” Casey protested.

            “What will happen now that they’ve gotten out?  How can we get them back?” April asked.

            “They will cause much suffering and death,” Mr. Hidesato said as he began gathering the coins from the floor.  “Our only good fortune is that this city is large enough to satisfy their hungers.  They will remain here; an entire country will not have to be searched as my ancestors were required to do.”

            “Then we can catch them,” Casey said.  “Tell us what to do and we’ll stick them all back in this box.”

            With a frustrated huff, Mr. Hidesato straightened up and planted his fists on the desk top.  Staring at Casey, he said, “You cannot recover them.  Only a Warder can capture and imprison the creatures.  I am too old for the task and I am the last of my family.”

            “How does one become a Warder?” April asked.  “Maybe we can find someone here who already fits the requirements.  New York City is a big place.”

            Mr. Hidesato shook his head.  “Warders are trained to the job almost from the womb.  They must have studied the tenets of Bushido from birth.  Their training must include the study of martial arts under at least two different Masters.  They must be physically exceptional and they must also be warriors.  Where would one find such a person in New York City?”

            April and Casey exchanged knowing looks.  Smiling, April said, “Actually, we know of four who fit those requirements exactly.  They’ve already saved this city more times than I can count.  I’m sure that if you tell them what to do, they can recover these creatures.”

            “Four?” Mr. Hidesato asked, looking astonished.  He appeared to think about it for a moment and then finally sighed.  “It must be so since it appears that I am called upon to uphold my family’s legacy once more.  Can these four be reached tonight?  They must meet us here as quickly as possible.”

            April walked over to the couch where she’d placed her backpack and extracted her shell cell.  “I’ll call them right now.  They, um, won’t want to be seen entering the house.  Is there another way inside?”

            “What type of warriors are they?” Mr. Hidesato asked with a frown.

            “They’re ninjas,” April said.  “Very well trained ninjas.  They are also . . . rather unusual in appearance.  They don’t show themselves to all that many people.”

            Perhaps it was because Mr. Hidesato had seen many unusual things in his life that he did not push for more answers.  “Upstairs you will find a terrace attached to my uncle’s bedroom.  It overlooks the garden.  These ninjas may enter the house through there without anyone observing them.”

            “I’ll give them directions,” April said, walking out of the room to place her call.

            Mr. Hidesato returned to retrieving the spilled coins and Casey helped him.  Once the coins were on the desk, Mr. Hidesato began to return them to the slots inside the coffer, carefully matching each to a symbol marked in the leather alongside the slot.

            “This mess is my fault,” Casey said, breaking the silence.  He wasn’t the best at sensing what people were feeling, but he could guess that the Japanese man didn’t care for him.  “I want to help make it right.  I’m going to help make it right.”

            Pausing in his efforts, Mr. Hidesato studied Casey for a moment and then said, “I can see that you are a good man.  Perhaps overly curious and a tad impatient.  Can you follow directions I wonder?”

            “He’s good in a fight, if that’s what you’re asking,” April said, coming back into the room.  “I reached the guys.  It won’t take them long to get here, so I’ll go upstairs and wait.”

            “Just a moment,” Mr. Hidesato said.  He quickly scribbled some numbers on a piece of paper and handed it to her.  “This is the code for the alarm system on my uncle’s room.  There are several zones within the house, each with their own separate security.”

            “Thank you,” April said.

            Casey and Mr. Hidesato continued their task while they waited for her to return.  When the coins they’d piled on the desk had been placed into the coffer, Casey asked, “Did we get them all?”

            Mr. Hidesato quickly surveyed the box’s contents and nodded.  “Yes, all of the coins are here.  Would you be so kind as to retrieve my bags from the foyer?  I dropped them there when I heard the noise of the escaping creatures.”

            Though Casey didn’t much like the idea of being treated like a man servant, he went out to collect the bags without a word.  He wouldn’t have been in this predicament in the first place but for his own bad judgment.

            There were only two suitcases and a garment bag.  One of the suitcases was fitted with an intricate lock and was quite heavy, making Casey reevaluate how strong Mr. Hidesato really was.

            Upon seeing Casey return with the bags, Mr. Hidesato appeared relieved.  He took the heavier bag from Casey and placed it on the desk next to the coffer.  “Ah, thank you.  I had not planned to stay overly long, but I am glad I had the foresight to bring this with me.  I must have sensed that I would be needing it.”

            Casey wanted to ask what the bag contained, but the sound of April’s voice stopped him.  When she came into the room, she was alone.

            “Your friends?” Mr. Hidesato asked, looking puzzled.

            “They’re here,” April told him.  “I need to prepare you before they enter.  Our friends are very . . . unique.”

            “So you have said,” Mr. Hidesato replied.  “Please, we do not have much time.  The sooner we begin our preparations, the sooner we can begin to recapture these monsters.”

            “All right,” April said.  Stepping into the doorway, she signaled that it was all clear and then stood aside.

            Leonardo entered the room first, followed closely by his brothers.  They spread out to either side of him and faced Mr. Hidesato.

            Eyes widening, Mr. Hidesato exclaimed, “They are Kame!”

            “Mutant ninja turtles,” Casey said, crossing his arms.  “There ain’t nobody better than these guys at taking on monsters.”

            “We’ve faced our fair share of them,” Leo said.  “My name is Leonardo.”

            “Raphael,” Raph said next.

            “Donatello,” Don said with a slight bow.

            “I’m Mikey,” Mikey said cheerfully.  “I hope we’re not freaking you out dude.”

            “Mr. Hidesato.  My uncle owned this home,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Has Miss . . . .”

            He paused to look at April, realizing that they had never been introduced.  “My name is April O’Neil and that’s Casey Jones.  Your attorney hired me to catalogue the items in this room and Casey was supposed to be my bodyguard.”

            His eyes on Leonardo, Mr. Hidesato continued, “Has Miss O’Neil explained the situation to you?”

            “Some,” Leo said, moving up to the front of the desk.  “Apparently Casey opened a box and released some sort of creatures into the city.”

            “Smooth move Case,” Raph said.

            Casey shot him a dirty look.  A glance from Leo quieted them both and he went on.  “From what I gathered, the things that escaped were Japanese legendary creatures, captured by your ancestors and held in that box under the watchful eye of your family for centuries.  It is my understanding that only those who have received certain training are able to capture these creatures.”

            Switching to Japanese, Mr. Hidesato asked, “Do you understand my language?”

            Leo answered in Japanese.  “Yes.  All four of us are fluent.  Our father is from Japan and is a Ninjitsu Master.”  Shifting back to English, he said, “April knows a little and Casey none at all, so we should speak in a language they can understand.”

            “As you wish,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I ask about your fluency because the key to re-capturing the creatures lies within the individual coins contained in the coffer.  Each coin was designed specifically for the creature it will hold, each spell to bind that creature inscribed in Japanese upon the coin.  Even the slots that the coins must be placed into is marked with the creature’s name.  If you cannot read or speak the language, you cannot become a Warder.”

            “Are there instructions on how to track these creatures?” Don asked.

            “No, that knowledge was passed down through generations in verbal teachings,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I will have to assist you in recognizing their signs.  Unlike my ancestors, today we have the news media and the internet to provide us with information.”

            “That’s my department,” Don said.  “If you can give me certain parameters to watch for, I can write a computer program that will continuously search for them.”

            “Astounding,” Mr. Hidesato said, appearing impressed.  “I must ask though; you said that your father, a Master ninja, trained you from birth?”

            “From the time we were hatched,” Leo clarified.

            “As I told Miss O’Neil, you must have trained under at least two Masters to become a Gokuri – a Warder, as was my uncle and I,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “We have,” Mikey said.  “Master Splinter trained us, and we were also trained by the Ninja Tribunal.”

            At Mr. Hidesato’s confused expression, Leo said, “The Tribunal is a group of four Ninjitsu Masters.  My brothers have trained with five martial arts Masters, I have trained with six.”

            “He’s an overachiever,” Raph said, nudging Leo with his elbow.

            “Many of my ancestors were killed by these creatures,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “This is not a matter to be taken lightly.”

            “If these things are as dangerous as you say, then we ain’t taking it lightly,” Raph responded.  “Go ahead and tell us how we start this hunt.”

            “You prepare by learning how to be a Warder,” Mr. Hidesato said.  Placing a hand on the suitcase atop the desk, he added, “This contains the tools that you will need.  You must become adept at their use.  Shall we begin?”

            The turtles looked around at one another and then each offered a single nod to Leo.

            “Yes,” Leo said.  “We’re ready to be taught.”

 

End Introduction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This lovely art badge was created by Luleiya (tumblr)  
> 


	2. Night of the Dodomeki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 5,492  
> Rated: PG-13 2k3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~This extremely lovely preview image was created by AlessandraDC on DeviantArt.  
>   
> ~~Preview art is a scene from this chapter and was created by the incredibly gifted How_do_you_do_fellow_kids  
> 

            After receiving assurances that the turtles were serious about becoming Warders, Mr. Hidesato took a key that hung on a chain from around his neck and unlocked the heavy suitcase.  It also required him to enter a combination, which he did after opening the lock.

            It seemed rather heavy security for a suitcase and the turtles along with their friends waited with heightened curiosity to see its contents.  Mr. Hidesato opened the suitcase fully, displaying several tools nestled into specially fitted spaces within its padded interior.

            Rather than explain the contents right away, Mr. Hidesato looked up at those gathered around the desk and said, “Centuries ago, when the legendary creatures roamed Japan, there was magic.  Real magic, not the kind practiced by entertainers in your Las Vegas.  Through the years this magic faded because people were taught that it did not exist.  Without belief, magic hides.  It does not die however, and may be used by those who understand its power.

            “The items in this case have been blessed with magic.  It is old, old magic and very powerful.  Bushido teaches us what we must know in order to harness this magic.  Without enlightenment, the things inside this case are merely pieces of metal.”

            “We’ve had some experience with magic,” Raph said with a slight sneer.  “Can’t say it’s all been good.”

            “As with everything, magic is balanced,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “There is both good and bad magic.  There is magic that is meant to be good but can be corrupted, and magic that is meant to be bad but can be purified.  I explain this to you so that though you may not understand how the items in this case work, you must simply accept that they do.  You will encounter magic as you pursue the creatures and without the protection of magic, you will succumb to evil.”

            “Protection of what sort?” Leo asked.

            Mr. Hidesato reached into the case and picked up an object with a slender metal handle.  On one end more metal had been forged into the form of a pair of Japanese symbols.

            “It reads ‘warder’ or ‘jailer’,” Don explained for April and Casey’s benefit.

            Peeling back the sleeve from his right arm, Mr. Hidesato displayed where those symbols had been burned into the inside of his forearm.  “It is a branding iron,” he said.  “Only those bearing this mark may capture the creatures.  Only those bearing this mark have the protection of magic and the ability to see most of these creatures.”

            “We’ve got to be branded?” Mikey asked, his voice rising in pitch.

            “I’ll do it,” Raph said.  “Do we need to build a fire to heat that thing up?”

            Shaking his head, Mr. Hidesato said, “No.  Magic will provide the necessary heat.  Extend your arm.”

            Raph presented his forearm, placing the back of his fist on the desktop to keep his arm steady.  When Mr. Hidesato brought the end close to Raph’s skin, the symbols began to glow red with heat.

            Mr. Hidesato pressed the hot metal to Raph’s arm, which began to sizzle.  The burning flesh was not a pleasant smell and Raph’s lip curled back in distaste, but otherwise he did not display his pain.

            When Mr. Hidesato withdrew the branding iron, the mark it had left on Raph’s arm continued to glow red for several seconds.  Then it faded, leaving a fully healed scar bearing the Warder symbols.

            “Hey, it don’t hurt anymore,” Raph said wondrously.  Tentatively placing the tip of his finger against the mark, he added, “Shell, this feels like I’ve had this mark for a long time.”

            “The magic not only sears the mark upon your skin, but into your very being,” Mr. Hidesato explained.  “Once the mark is in place, it no longer needs to be painful.”

            Leo stepped up to where Raph had been and duplicated his brother’s actions.  Once his arm was ready, Mr. Hidesato placed the brand upon his skin.

            The turtle leader remained stoic during the process, nodding as he examined the finished product.  Donatello offered his arm next, scrunching his beak as the scalding iron touched his skin.

            When it was Mikey’s turn, he said, “You know, maybe three Warders is more than enough.  Somebody should stay behind to count the coins, make a few lists, write the stories about your adventures . . . .”

            “Get your butt over there, knucklehead,” Raph told him, giving Mikey a shove.

            Mikey squeezed his eyes shut while Mr. Hidesato applied the brand.  When it was done, Mikey said, “Easy as pie.  No sweat.  I feel like a new turtle.”

            “Wish that meant we could’ve traded in the old one,” Raph muttered.

            When Mikey stepped back, Casey walked up to the desk and held out his arm.  “Do me too.  These guys shouldn’t have to clean up my mess by themselves.”

            “I cannot brand you,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “You do not fulfil the requirements to be a Warder.”

            “To hell with that,” Casey said.  “I’ve been fighting against bad guys since I could walk.  Just ‘cause I don’t know all that Bushi-doodle stuff don’t mean I can’t wrangle a few monsters.”

            “You do not understand,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “The power of Gokuri magic will not attach itself to those who have not been enlightened.  Allow me to demonstrate.”

            He brought the branding iron close to Casey’s skin.  It did not turn red and when he touched it to Casey’s arm, the metal was cold.

            “Well crap,” Casey said with feeling.  “If I can’t catch them then I’ll be bait.  I ain’t sitting on the sidelines.”

            “I can help Don create an algorithm to track the creatures,” April said.  “We almost always work as a team.”

            “This will be a large undertaking,” Mr. Hidesato said musingly.  “If we are to recapture creatures which took centuries to catch the first time around, then a team approach seems the most sensible.  My uncle’s home will be our base of operations.  Come, there are other things I must show you.”

            Turning to the bookcase on the wall next to the desk, Mr. Hidesato pushed a set of books to the side, revealing a small panel containing a keyhole.  The same key that he’d used to open the suitcase fit this keyhole as well.  When he turned it and extracted the key, the bookcase slid aside to reveal a hidden room.

            “Cool,” Mikey said with a grin.

            The room was about twelve by twenty feet in size with a tall ceiling.  One wall held a bank of computers atop one long workstation.  Another wall contained several televisions, each tuned to different news outlets, the sound muted and the close captioning enabled.

            On the third wall was a line of old outdated machines which still looked to be in working order.  Don recognized a telegraph, a mimeograph, an am/fm radio that appeared to date from the nineteen fifties, and a short wave radio amongst the collection.

            There was also a crystal ball, a pair of Ouija boards, and a deck of fortune telling cards.  However Mr. Hidesato’s uncle had chosen to pursue his creatures, his methods had not involved strictly Japanese magic.

            “I’m guessing this is the war room,” Raph said.

            “It is the central point for intelligence gathering,” Mr. Hidesato acknowledged.  “I had intended to clear these things out and ship all of it overseas to my home in Japan, as well as the coffer for safekeeping there.  Those plans will have to be delayed, along with the sale of my uncle’s home, until the creatures have been reacquired.”

            “We’re not gonna catch anything by standing around talking about it,” Raph said.  “Fire up those computers ya’ two whiz kids and let’s get this show on the road.”

            For the next few hours Don and April sat side by side in front of the computers.  While they worked, Raph sprawled in a chair watching the news feeds, changing stations periodically in an attempt to keep up with everything that was happening in the city.

            Mikey had discovered a police band radio amongst the items clustered together along the third wall.  While he listened to that, he also read an instruction manual on operating the telegraph and a book on Morse code.

            In the office, Leo occupied the couch, on either side of him books from the elder Hidesato’s collection.  He’d also found several journals that had been kept by the family Warders and was reading through them.

            Mr. Hidesato took his personal belongings upstairs and moved into his uncle’s bedroom.  He had informed the small band of fighters that there were spare bedrooms on the second and third floors of the home and that they were welcome to use them.

            Casey was sent out with a shopping list.  The kitchen had been stripped clean of food after Mr. Hidesato senior’s death and it needed to be restocked.  Much like when he’d been sent after the luggage, Casey wasn’t thrilled with the job of gofer, but he figured it was what he deserved for having unleashed a multitude of hellish spawn upon the city.

            Feeling stiff after sitting for so long, Raph finally got up and stretched.  Scratching his side, he walked out to the office and went to stand in front of Leo.  Yawning prodigiously, he glanced over the journals lining the couch around his brother and made a face.

            “What the shell are ya’ reading?” Raph asked, noting the small Japanese characters covering each page.

            “Quite a few members of Mr. Hidesato’s family kept journals,” Leo said.  “Some of them contain very detailed accounts of their efforts in tracking down and capturing creatures.  Did you know a lot of the creatures were just supposed to be bogey man tales that parents told their children to keep them in line?”

            “Tulpa,” Don said, entering the room.  “The belief in them by the kids and probably some of the parents during a time when magic was prevalent no doubt resulted in the manifestation of these beings.  A Tulpa is something created through spiritual or mental power alone.”

            “Way to go mom and dad,” Raph said.  “Look, I’m sure this is all fascinating stuff, but I didn’t sign up for the job of sitting on my ass.  What say we hit the streets before the sun comes up and see if we can’t lure a few of these creatures out of hiding?”

            “If we did find one, how do you propose we catch it?” Leo asked, closing the journal he was holding.  Tapping its cover he said, “According to these journals, depending on which creature you’re after, differing methods have to be employed.”

            “I’m already starting to regret the good old days of just pounding someone into submission,” Raph groaned.

            “Your brute strength will certainly become necessary,” Mr. Hidesato said, approaching on silent feet.  “Many of these creatures will put up a fight.”

            “You must have had some ninja training yourself Mr. Hidesato,” Don said, impressed that he hadn’t even seen the man come into the room.

            Mr. Hidesato bowed his head in acknowledgement.  “I have myself trained with a number of Masters.  If not for my advanced age, I would relish the exhilaration that accompanies a hunt.”

            “So how do we catch these things?” Raph asked.

            “Just as your brother said, it depends on the creature itself.  You must first know what you are after,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Unfortunately, you do not have the time to acquire all of the necessary knowledge.  Since I have studied these creatures from the time I was a small child, I will tell you what must be done.”

            “Master Splinter will have to know what we’re doing,” Leo said.  “We’ll need to divide our time between here and the lair.  It goes without saying that we can’t be seen by people.”

            “But ya’ had to say it anyway,” Raph said teasingly.

            “It is a good thing for us that most of these creatures prefer to appear at night,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            Casey peeked into the room and announced, “I’ve got the groceries put away.  There’s pizza if anybody wants some.”

            As if pizza were a magic word, Mikey was suddenly in their midst.  “Don’t let it get cold Casey, ‘cause I think I’ve got something.”

            “From the cop shop?” Raph asked, knowing his brother had been listening to the police band.

            “Yeah.  A bunch of jewelry stores along Midtown East on Fifth Street got broken into about an hour ago.  The alarms went off almost at the same time.  The cops are saying that the only thing that shows up on the video cameras is an eyeball.”

            “An eyeball?  On all of them?” Don asked.

            “Only repeating what I heard,” Mikey said.

            April came rushing into the room.  “The police just chased a female pickpocket along East fifty-seventh.  They thought they had her surrounded but she just disappeared.”

            Turning excitedly to Michelangelo, Mr. Hidesato asked, “Did they say what was stolen?”

            “They said be on the lookout for someone trying to unload a bunch of gold coins,” Mikey answered.  “Why would someone just steal coins from a jewelers?”

            “And the woman,” Mr. Hidesato began, looking at April, “did they describe her?”

            “Just that she was wearing a long gown and had a flowing scarf over her head,” April said.

            “You know what it is, don’t you?” Leo asked, rising from the couch.

            “It is a Dodomeki,” Mr. Hidesato told him.  Striding to the coffer which still sat on the desk, he opened the lid and chose a coin from the box.  “To contain her you must use this coin.  Capturing the Dodomeki requires using her own greed against her.  She must steal this coin from one of you kame; once she has it in her hand, the coin’s magic will pull her inside.”

            “How do we keep her in there?” Raph asked.

            To answer that question, Mr. Hidesato took another tool from the suitcase.  This one had a thick, cylindrical hand grip, not unlike that of a pair of garden shears.  The working end almost looked like cooking tongs, but the metal face on either side had a small box mounted onto it.

            Pointing at the box, Mr. Hidesato said, “Do you see the opening here?  This is where the red wax comes out so that a captured creature may be sealed into the coin.”  He touched the bottom points on the handle.  “These flip open so that solid wax bullets may be loaded into the device.  Once you have pulled the creature into the coin, you must quickly seal it in with the wax.  It is currently loaded.”

            “How do we heat the wax?” Don asked.

            “You do not have to, the tool is powered by magic,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Place the coin between the tips of the tool and squeeze the boxes together over the square opening in the coin for a slow three count.  Wax will flow out to fill the opening and will then immediately harden.”

            “I guess this is another thing that’ll only work for us?” Mikey asked, taking the tool from Mr. Hidesato.

            “Yes, and do not lose it,” Mr. Hidesato admonished the brothers.  “There are few people who know how to create another and they all reside in Japan.”

            April had ducked back into the war room while they talked and she called out from inside, “She’s mugged someone else.  I’ve pulled up a map of the area that she’s in and she seems to be moving in one particular direction.”

            The group gathered inside the room to look at April’s map.  Each of the places and people the Dodomeki had attacked were marked in red.

            “Casey, ain’t there a coin dealership right about here on Forty-Seventh Street?” Raph asked.  “I remember ‘cause we stopped some Purple Dragons from busting in there once.”

            “There sure is,” Casey said.  “It’s a big fancy place too.”

            April’s fingers danced over the keyboard.  In a second she had a street side view of the coin shop on her computer screen.

            “That is where the Dodomeki will go,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “Tell us about her,” Leo requested.

            “Dodomeki are cursed women,” Mr. Hidesato explained.  “This supernatural creature, what we call a yokai, is a thief with a preference for stealing money.  The curse attached because of the woman’s greed and wickedness.  Someone who steals a lot in Japan is referred to as having ‘long arms’ and the creature you are after does literally have long arms.  She is also covered in hundreds of tiny eyeballs.”

            “That’s why the only thing on the security camera was an eye,” Don said.

            “She can spew poisonous fumes, so you must surprise her,” Mr. Hidesato warned.  “Do not cut her skin because her blood will likewise give off noxious gasses.  If you place the magic coin into a pocket with other coins and jingle them, she will be attracted to the sound and be unable to pass without stealing all you have.”

            “Once the coin’s in her hand it will activate on its own?” Don asked.

            “Yes,” Mr. Hidesato answered.  “She will be pulled into it.  When the coin starts to fall after she is inside, catch it and quickly seal the center with the special wax.”

            “Our disguises are in the moving truck,” Leo said.  “Mikey can wear one of those.  Because that area is patrolled by private security, we need to be inconspicuous, so we’ll go in April’s van rather than the moving truck.  Casey can drive and get us a parking spot as close to the coin dealers as possible.  Mikey will deploy to a spot between the Dodomeki and the coin shop.”

            “Deploy,” Mikey repeated.  “That sounds so much better than Mikey is the bait, which is what you mean.  Why am I always the bait?”

            “I’m pretty sure you’ve asked that question before,” Raph said.

            “How did you answer it?” Mikey asked.

            “I told ya’ to stop whining,” Raph said.

            “Does everyone understand the plan?” Leo asked.  “April, could you remain here with Mr. Hidesato and monitor any reports that come in?  Relay any new information to us via shell cell.”

            As they walked back out through the office, Mr. Hidesato handed the coin he’d taken from the coffer to Leonardo.  “This is the coin created for the Dodomeki.  It, like the wax sealing tool, cannot be duplicated here in the States.  Take great care of both.”

            “We will,” Leo assured him.

            “Good luck,” Mr. Hidesato called out as the turtles and Casey ran upstairs and used the master bedroom terrace to exit the house.

            While Casey drove April’s van to Forty-Seventh Street, Michelangelo sat in the back and pulled on his disguise.  “I hope somebody thought to grab some coins so I’ll have something to jingle while I’m walking around,” he said.

            His brothers looked at each other in dismay.  “Oh crap,” Raph said.  “Guess we should have taken care of that before we left Mr. Hidesato.”

            “No sweat ya’ guys,” Casey said.  “There’s a bunch of quarters up here in the ashtray.  Ya’ can’t navigate the city if ya’ ain’t got coins for the tolls.”

            “Ha!  Now you’re finally being useful,” Raph said, leaning between the front seats to scoop out the coins from the ashtray.

            “Jerk,” Casey said, making a sharp turn and tossing Raph back into his seat.

            “Wack bag,” Raph retorted.

            In the passenger seat, Leo pointed at an alleyway in the middle of the block.  “Right there Casey.  That spot will place us between the Dodomeki and the coin dealership.  If she’s still moving in this direction, that is.”

            “She is,” Don said, listening to April through his headset.  “She’s getting close too.  She attacked a man walking his dog three blocks from here.”

            Casey backed the van into the alley, making sure that the shadows hid the vehicle.  The group disembarked and Raph stuffed the coins into Mikey’s pockets.

            “Here,” Leo said, handing the trap coin to Mikey.  “Put this in with the rest of the coins.  Walk up and down the sidewalk and make sure to jingle those coins.  The rest of us will remain hidden nearby, so if you have any trouble, we’ll be with you in a second.”

            “Make that half a second,” Mikey said, placing the trap coin into his pocket.

            “Let’s go, we don’t know how fast that thing is,” Raph urged.

            Casey and the three older turtles spaced themselves out along the street, remaining out of sight in the shadows.  Pushing his hat down low to hide his face, Mikey began strolling along the sidewalk, jiggling the coins in his pocket as loudly as possible.

            He walked up to within half a block of the coin dealership, crossed the street, and made a return trip.  Mikey passed the others' hiding places, going two blocks up before crossing over again and moving back towards his starting point.

            Mikey had just crossed the street for a third time and was nearly opposite the alley where the van was parked when a little over a block ahead of him an old homeless man staggered out of an areaway.

            “She took my money!” the old man shouted piteously, waving an empty tin can in the air.

            Almost before Mikey could process that the man had been robbed of his coins, a woman appeared in front of him.  She wore a dark colored kimono along with a headdress that flowed down to mid-thigh and kept her face in shadows.

            Mikey barely had time to yank his hand out of his pocket before she descended on him.  One long, thin arm snaked its way towards him, the sleeve of the kimono blowing backwards to reveal dozens of small eyes covering the skin.

            Pure reflex made Mikey jump backwards, emitting a high pitched shriek of surprise and disgust as he did so.  Unfortunately, the back of his foot came down on the hem of his trench coat, yanking him off balance.

            Arms pin wheeling, Mikey tried to regain his footing and only managed to tangle himself even further in his trench coat.  As he fell, his hand clutched at the nearest thing to him, which was the Dodomeki.

            Mikey’s fingers caught in her kimono as he went down and his weight and momentum ripped the garment off of her.  Landing on his shell, Mikey stared wide eyed at the now nearly nude form standing over him.

            From both shoulders, along her incredibly long arms, and down to the tips of her fingers were covered in eyes. On her face, where there were normally two eyes, the Dodomeki had three.

            Her mouth opened and a gurgling sound emerged as she bent down to reach for Mikey.  Completely freaked out, Mikey planted one foot flat on the sidewalk and shoved his body away from her.

            At the sight of her prey attempting to escape, the Dodomeki pounced, grasping at Mikey’s pocket.  Suddenly remembering what he was supposed to do, Mikey reached inside the coat, fumbling to extract the wax tool from his belt.

            His movement pulled the edge of the coat away just as the Dodomeki’s hand slid into the pocket.  The sound of the material ripping was nearly as loud as that of the coins spilling out of the pocket and rolling all over the sidewalk.

            Strange gibbering issued from the Dodomeki’s mouth as she dove for the coins.  Mikey watched in horror as each coin she touched was swallowed up by eyeballs.

            “Get up, Mikey!” Raph shouted.

            The sound snapped Mikey out of his daze and he scrambled to his feet as his brothers and Casey darted out of hiding.  “Where is it, where is it,” Mikey muttered, looking all around for the trap coin.

            He spotted it rolling down the sidewalk towards Don and Casey.  “Grab it!” he yelled at them.

            Before they could reach it, the coin bounced off the sidewalk, hit the street, and rolled into a storm drain.

            “Oh shell!  It went down the drain!” Don called out to Leo.

            Running towards the Dodomeki, Leo pointed at Don and ordered, “Get the coin!”

            “We’ve gotta stall her!” Raph bellowed, pulling one of his sai and running towards the nearest parking meter.

            Leo immediately saw what Raph meant to do and unsheathed his katanas.  “Incoming!” he shouted at Mikey before tossing one of his swords to his younger brother.

            Mikey shrugged off the trench coat while the katana was in the air and deftly caught it when it reached him.  Raph jabbed his sai into the coin box on the meter and wrenched it to the side, ripping the metal open.  Coins began spilling out, hitting the sidewalk and bouncing in every direction.

            Turning on his heels, Mikey raced to the next meter in line just as Leo reached his.  A hard slice sheared open the metal coin box to send another torrent of coins onto the ground.  In less than a second, Mikey had forced open a third parking meter.

            In the meantime, Casey and Don were face down on the street, peering into the darkened storm drain.  “Can you see it?” Casey asked.

            “Hang on,” Don said, pulling his shell cell from his belt and activating the flashlight app.  Pointing the light into the drain, he saw the coin glittering just out of reach.

            “I can get it with my hockey stick,” Casey said, sliding it from his bag.

            “Not unless you’ve got glue on the end,” Don replied.  “Hey, do you have any gum?”

            Casey’s eyes lit up.  “Yeah, hang on.”

            Quickly fishing into his pocket, Casey came out with a square of bubble gum.  Peeling the paper off, he stuck the gum in his mouth and began to chew as fast as his jaws would work.

            Meanwhile, the Dodomeki was jumping from place to place on the sidewalk, slathering and babbling incoherently as she scooped up coins.  The three turtles kept moving, slicing open parking meters and tossing coins all around her to keep her pinned to one spot.

            Slapping the masticated wad of gum onto the handle of the hockey stick, Casey slid it through the grate, using the light from Don’s shell cell as a guide.  He was off target the first try and had to press his shoulder into the pavement to get the correct angle.  On his second try he snagged the coin and hurriedly dragged it out of the storm drain.

           As soon as the coin was free from the drain, Don grabbed it off the stick and tossed it onto the sidewalk in front of the Dodomeki.  “Heads up!” he yelled at his brothers.

            The sound as it hit the ground drew the Dodomeki’s attention directly to the coin.  With a cackle, she snatched the coin from the sidewalk.

            Rather than disappearing into one of the eyes, the coin seemed to stick to the tips of the Dodomeki’s fingers.  The yokai bounded to an upright position and tried to shake the coin loose, but it stuck tight.

            For a second nothing happened, and then her body started to shake.  The Dodomeki screeched as her skin became transparent and then turned vaporous.  Coins began cascading from the smoke to bounce in every direction.

            “Mikey, wax!” Leo shouted.

            Dropping the katana, Mikey yanked the wax tool from his belt just as the Dodomeki was sucked into the Wado Kaichin.  Taking a running dive, Mikey slid forward on his plastron, his hand outstretched, and caught the coin as it fell.

            Rolling into a seated position, Mikey shoved the coin between the tips of the wax tool and squeezed it shut.

            “One thousand one,” Mikey counted, “one thousand two, one thousand three.”

            His brothers and Casey gathered around Mikey as he slowly opened the tool and plucked the coin out of it.  Holding it up so that the coin was illuminated by a street lamp, they could all see that the wax seal was in place and had hardened properly.

            “Holy crap,” Casey breathed out, running a hand through his hair.

            Raph reached down and helped Mikey to his feet.  “Ya’ did it little bro’.”

            “I think I wet my shell,” Mikey responded.  “Did you see that?”

            “Yeah,” Raph said, throwing an arm across Mikey’s shoulders.  “That was one ugly bitch.”

            The clang of something metallic hitting the sidewalk startled the group and they spun as one, all reaching for their weapons.  All they saw was the homeless man, his can rolling to a stop at his feet as he gawked at them.

            Casey reached down and scooped up a handful of coins.  Approaching the man, he picked up the can and deposited the coins into it before returning it to the old man.

            “Tha . . . that’s . . . those . . . are . . . are . . . .” the old man babbled incoherently, lifting a shaking hand to point at the turtles.

            “Figment of your imagination,” Casey said.  “Go buy yourself a cup of coffee as far from here as ya’ can get.  The place is about to be full of cops.”

            “Co . . . cops?  I’m g . . . gone,” the old man stammered, turning away from Casey and shuffling off as fast as he could.

            “Calling the police is a good idea,” Leo said.  “Don, ask April to phone this in to them three minutes from now to give us time to clear out.  They’ll need to recover these coins.”

            “On it boss,” Don said, relaying the message to April.

            Leo retrieved his sword from where Mikey had dropped it and the group made a beeline back to the van.  As Casey drove around the corner, the sound of approaching sirens could already be heard.

            The ride back to the house was without incident, though quiet.  The group was still tense due to the stepped up police patrols all along their route.  They didn’t begin to relax until after Casey had dropped the turtles off in the alley behind Mr. Hidesato’s garden.

           Casey came in by the front door while the turtles once more used the upstairs terrace to enter the house. Adrenalin was still flowing through their systems and they finally let the excitement of a successful hunt overwhelm them.  They were all talking at once as they walked into the office.

            “Did you get her?” Mr. Hidesato asked, his hands clasped in front of him.

            “We sure did,” Mikey said, producing the trap coin.

            “Excellent!” Mr. Hidesato said gleefully, taking the coin to the coffer and placing it into the correct holding slot.

            “Was there any trouble?” April asked.

            The turtles looked around at each other and then glanced at Casey.

            “Nah, it was a piece of cake,” Casey said.

            “Mmm, cake.  Did you get any cake?” Mikey asked.

            “I got pizza,” Casey said with a scowl, “and it’s cold.”

            “Not to worry Mikey,” April said, linking her arm with the orange banded turtle’s.  “I’ll make us a cake.  We should celebrate!  The new Warders have been baptized, as it were.”

            “We can warm up that pizza while we wait,” Raph said.  “I’m hungry.”

            “We’ll have to call it breakfast,” Don said.  “It’s almost four in the morning.”

            “I need to call Master Splinter and let him know we’re all right,” Leo said.

            Mr. Hidesato walked back over to join them.  “You should let him know that you will be staying here,” he said.  “There is still much work to be done to prepare you for the task ahead.  The Dodomeki was a minor yokai; others that you must face will be of far greater danger.”

            His words were sobering as the group was reminded of the sheer volume of escaped creatures.

            “Okay, well that’s one way to bring the party down,” Mikey said.  “I vote we think about that after we eat and get some shut eye.  Oh yeah, and one other thing . . . .”

            “What Mikey?” Raph asked when his younger brother paused.

            “I also vote that Raph is bait next time,” Mikey said.  “After all, he’s not only a bigger target, he’s a slower one too.”

            “Come here ya’ goofball,” Raph growled, chasing after Mikey.  “I’ll show ya’ slow!”

            Leo waited for everyone to clear out of the office so it would be quiet during his call to Master Splinter.  Before doing that though, he picked up the journal belonging to the elder Mr. Hidesato and carried it over to the desk.

            Taking a pen from the desk set, he opened the journal to a blank page and wrote “First capture; Dodomeki.  Minimal property damage, no injuries.”

            Closing the journal, Leo tapped the cover before releasing a deep breath.  His brothers had no idea what the other journals contained and therefore no clue what was in store for them.

            For now, he’d keep it that way.  There was no point in all of them having nightmares.

 

End Dodomeki


	3. Night of the Kuchisake Onna

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 6,924  
> Rated: PG-13 2k3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~Preview art is a scene from this chapter and was created by the incredibly gifted How_do_you_do_fellow_kids  
> 

            Following the capture of the Dodomeki, the group of Warders and their friends enjoyed a small celebration before separating to get some much needed rest.

            April and Casey left Mr. Hidesato’s house to return to the apartment they now shared.  She still had a shop to run and Casey worked part-time as an auto mechanic, making enough to pay bills and keep up with his mission to rid the city of the Purple Dragons.

            After assuring Master Splinter that they were all safe and that their first mission had been a successful one, Leo had told him they would be spending a lot of time with Mr. Hidesato.  Master Splinter had wanted a promise that they would remember not to let themselves be seen during daylight and that they would not forget where their home was.  Leo gave his word on both counts.

            The turtle brothers chose to occupy a pair of adjoining bedrooms on the third floor of the house.  There were certain personal aspects of their relationship that they were not quite ready to share with Mr. Hidesato.  Though they would not dishonor their host by engaging in bedroom activities that were normally shared in the privacy of the lair, they had become used to sleeping in close proximity to one another.

            It was after sunrise when the four brothers climbed the stairs to their new part-time bedrooms.  Each room was furnished with a pair of twin beds and the first thing the turtles did after closing the curtains was to shove the beds together.  When Don went through the open passage between rooms, Leo followed him, leaving Mikey and Raph to share a bed that first day.

            Leo had made the choice of sleeping companion purposely.  He was feeling uneasy about the obligation they had chosen to take on, especially since they had done so, to all intents and purposes, blindly.

            Though he hadn’t read all of the journals, Leo had read enough to know that when Mr. Hidesato had said they would face great danger, he had not been exaggerating.

            Leo fully intended to apprise his siblings of the things he had thus far read, but he wasn’t going to burden them with the knowledge until they had slept.  For himself, Leo knew that what he had read might haunt him in his sleep, and having Donatello next to him would stay the worst of his dreams.  There was a certain tranquility about the genius that Leo counted on in times of great stress.

            Don seemed to sense Leo’s unease and once they were in bed, he curled in close to his brother.  The warmth of Don’s body against him and the comforting weight of Don’s hand on his chest helped Leo to fall asleep quickly.

            When the bad dreams came, they were more disquieting than they were frightening.  Random images surrounded Leo as he floated in a trance like void, coming and going too quickly for him to pin any of them down.

            Winking eyes, hideous grins, claw like fingers, strange animals, skeletons, and spectral forms drifted close to him, dissipating beneath Leo’s sharp blade.  As quickly as Leo could swing his sword, one apparition would vanish only for another to appear.

            The feeling of a hand on his face pulled Leo from his slumber.  Waking with a start, he jerked sideways to reach for his katanas, which leaned against the wall next to the bed.

            “It’s only me, Leo.  We’re not under attack,” Don murmured calmly, his strong grip on Leo’s arm keeping his brother in bed.

            “What is it?  Is something wrong?” Leo asked, rolling over to face Don.

            “You were thrashing around and muttering something about demons,” Don said.  “Bad dream?”  He placed his hand against Leo’s cheek again, gently stroking his skin as he looked with concern into his brother’s face.

            Leo sighed and closed his eyes for a second before opening them to bask in Donatello’s compassionate brown orbs.  “Nothing as substantial as that,” he answered.  “It was disjointed images, a jumble of disconnected shapes that kept floating at me out of nowhere.  Eyes.”  He laughed.  “To be expected after our first yokai encounter.”

            “You knew your dreams would be haunted though, that’s why you chose to sleep with me,” Don said, as astute as ever.  “It wasn’t because of the Dodomeki was it?  We’ve seen oddities before.”

            “The four of us need to talk first chance we have,” Leo said.  “I didn’t want to get into anything when we were so tired.”

            “To save us from having nightmares?” Don asked, and then chuckled.  “Ever the big brother.  We need heavier curtains in these rooms if we’ll be sleeping here often.”

            Leo blinked at the abrupt change of subject and then realized that Don was facing the windows.  Daylight brightened the room; something they were unused to seeing when they slept.

            “Think you can go back to sleep?” Leo asked.

            “Can you?” Don countered.

            “Keep rubbing my face like that and I can,” Leo said, his eyelids growing heavy.

            “I can do that,” Don said with a soft smile.  “Be quiet now.”

            Yet another reason why Leo had chosen to sleep with Don; the genius would not push to know more, understanding that Leo would explain everything when he was ready.  This time when Leo fell asleep, he had no dreams.

            It was mid-afternoon when Leo next woke.  Don was still slumbering, so Leo slid silently out of bed, donning his gear and weapons before peeking into the next room.  Raph and Mikey were sleeping soundly, the older turtle’s snoring muffled by his younger brother’s arm which was draped across Raph’s face.

            Chuckling, Leo retreated back into his own room and exited into the hallway from there.  Going downstairs, Leo went first to the kitchen, drawing the curtains across the windows before setting about brewing a pot of tea.

            He had just poured himself a cup of the hot liquid when he felt a presence behind him.  In one fluid motion, he set the cup down and spun around, blade in hand.

            Mr. Hidesato stood a few feet from him, his hands up in a placating gesture.

            “Forgive me,” Mr. Hidesato said, “I did not mean to startle you.”

            Sheathing his sword, Leo said, “You’re very quiet.”

            “I am getting old,” Mr. Hidesato responded.  “In my youth you would not have sensed my presence.”

            “Your skills are still quite formidable,” Leo said politely.  “Would you care for some tea?”

            “Thank you, I would,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            Leo filled another cup and passed it to the man.  Mr. Hidesato gestured towards the kitchen table, where they took seats across from one another.

            After taking a sip of his tea and nodding approvingly, Mr. Hidesato said, “It is not necessary to pull the curtains unless you are attempting to keep the sun out.  The windows throughout the house are made of one way vision glass.  No one outside of the house can see through the glass, but our view from inside is completely unobstructed.”

            “Your uncle took a great many security precautions,” Leo noted.

            “In our line of work, it is necessary,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Our family business is antiquities.  It is how we finance our true profession.  Human thieves are often as much a danger as the creatures we hunt.”

            “Is that why your uncle lived here?” Leo asked.  “Why did he bring the coffer here rather than leaving it with you in Japan?”

            “Each warder clan has its own coffer, which is passed down through the lineage,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Guardianship only changes hands upon the death of the primary warder. Business brought my uncle here and it was his duty to bring the coffer with him.”

            “How long did he live in New York?” Leo asked.

            “Thirty-seven years,” Mr. Hidesato answered.  “My uncle was one hundred and eight years old when he passed.  He informed me of his imminent death so that I could be here to receive the coffer from him, but unforeseen circumstances delayed my departure.  It is the first time in several hundred years that a coffer was not personally handed off in my family.  I can only believe that what occurred was a predetermined course of events.  You see, I am the last of my clan.”

            He was looking at Leo meaningfully.  The full import of what Mr. Hidesato had said hit Leo and he set his cup down.

            Wanting to make sure that he wasn’t misunderstanding what the man had just alluded to, Leo asked, “What were your ultimate plans for the coffer?”

            Mr. Hidesato smiled slightly, as though he knew the path Leonardo’s mind was taking.  “When a clan reaches extinction, it is the duty of its last living member to recruit another clan to accept the responsibility of becoming warders.  Everything belonging to the first clan is passed to the new one.  All holdings, all monies, all possessions, and all of the recorded history becomes the property of the new clan.”

            “I see,” Leo said slowly.  “I assume the new clan that has been chosen has the option to say no to this legacy.”

            “Of course,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Unless the obligation is accepted of their own free will by the clan, the warder magic will not attach to them.”

            Diplomacy was amongst the skills that Leo had acquired through training and natural inclination, but he often found it vexing.  Still, he had to wonder why it seemed that he had to coax an answer from Mr. Hidesato when it must be clearly obvious to him where the young turtle’s concerns lay.

            Perhaps a more direct approach better suited the situation.  “My brothers and I accepted an obligation to collect the creatures who escaped,” Leo said carefully.  “Warder magic has already attached to us.  We were operating under the assumption that once everything was set right again, you would take the coffer, return to Japan, and that would be the end of our involvement.”

            “You fear that I have not played fair with you,” Mr. Hidesato said, apparently tiring of the verbal fencing as well.  “The emergency which placed you and your brothers in this situation did not allow for the normal formalities accompanying the unification of clans.  As such, I cannot in good conscience hold your clan to the obligation.  All I can ask is that you help me recover the creatures that were lost and while doing so, think about truly accepting this lifetime responsibility.”

            “Mr. Hidesato, surely you understand that our clan is quite small,” Leo said.  “There is only my father, myself, and my three brothers.  It must be clear to you that we will have no offspring.  Turtles live a very long time and Donatello has theorized that due to our mutation _we_ may live virtually forever, but our lives are very dangerous.  We have enemies and our enemies would like nothing more than to dissect us.”

            “I realized the probable complications as soon as I saw you,” Mr. Hidesato acknowledged.  “If you were to all perish, the coffer would be left unguarded.  The potential for such an occurrence lives with us daily.  You have only experienced a single capture, but I am sure it brought about an awareness of just how dangerous this burden can be.”

            “The journals were very informative in that regard,” Leo replied.  “My brothers and I are not the type to turn our shells on those in need, but we would prefer to know as much as we can before stepping into danger.  I haven’t discussed any of what I learned from those journals, but I’m not going to leave my brothers in the dark about it.

           “Our decision as to whether we’ll accept this lifelong commission will be a joint one. If at any point during this current mission we feel that information is being withheld from us, we will cease our hunt for the missing yokai.  I will not endanger my brothers' lives due to bad or missing intelligence.”

           “You are a prudent and honorable leader,” Mr. Hidesato said. “In your position I too would be cautious.  I will do my utmost to gain and hold your trust.  As I said last night, I will be delaying my departure for Japan until all of the creatures have been returned to the coffer.

           “While you slept, I was phoning my business associates to apprise them of the delay. Since we have a presence in this city, I can conduct my affairs from here.  I also phoned my uncle’s attorney that I will be here for the probate of my uncle’s estate and to ask that he remove the house from the real estate listings.”

           “There ya’ are,” Raph said, appearing in the doorway. He looked and sounded relieved, both of which told Leo that his brother’s sleep hadn’t been completely untroubled.

           “Want some tea?” Leo asked.

           “No,” Raph said with distaste. “I’ll make coffee.  Don’s gonna want it when he rolls out of bed.  Did Casey get milk and cereal?”

           “He did,” Leo said. “It’s your brand, so you’ll have to share with Mikey.  We’ll need to make a shopping list because Casey got the bare minimum.  He was in a hurry to get back here.”

           From the glance Raph shot towards Mr. Hidesato, it was clear there were things he wanted to say but wasn’t going to do so in front of the man. Instead, he asked, “Did ya’ get a chance to tell sensei what we’re doing over here?”

           “I did,” Leo said. “I had to keep it brief but he knows enough.  He said he’s familiar with some of the yokai tales and to let him know if he’s needed.”

           “How did it occur that your father came to be your master?” Mr. Hidesato asked.

           “Master Splinter adopted us when we were hatchlings,” Leo explained. “We had been accidently dropped down a sewer grate and came into contact with an ooze that turned out to be of alien origin.  The ooze is what turned us from ordinary turtles into mutated ones.”

           Leo left out the fact that their sensei was a rat who had also been mutated by the ooze. There would be time enough for the lengthy explanation of Master Splinter’s background if he were to ever meet Mr. Hidesato.

           “Food, must have food,” Michelangelo said as he dragged himself into the kitchen.

           Donatello came in right behind him. “The quiet upstairs woke him up, believe it or not,” Don said, referring to Mikey.  “Then he jumped on my bed to wake me.  He was under the impression that the house had eaten you two.”

           “Was not,” Mikey said, snatching the cereal box off the counter almost as soon as Raph had set it down. “I said that I was hungry enough to eat the house.”

           “I’m glad that you’re all up,” Leo said. “We should get in some practice if only to stay limber.  Maybe we can find a large room down here and move the furniture aside.”

           “There is no need,” Mr. Hidesato said. “My uncle transformed the basement into a dojo.  He practiced his martial arts there almost until the day he died.”

           “At one hundred and eight? That type of vitality must run in the family,” Leo said.

           “We have all enjoyed a long life,” Mr. Hidesato acknowledged. “My only regret is that I was unable to continue the family line.”

           “Dude, that sucks,” Mikey said as he sat down at the table. “You still have a shot at it though.  Heck, Mick Jagger’s still popping out kids and he’s in his seventies!”

           “That is true,” Mr. Hidesato responded noncommittally.

           Leo changed the subject when Don carried his coffee over to join the group at the table. “Don, could you text a list of groceries to April and ask if she’d pick them up for us?  Are there still funds in our account?”

           Don had his shell cell out before Leo finished speaking. As he began to text, he answered, “Yes.  I repaired a bunch of laptops for the computer shop down the street from her just the other day.”

           Mr. Hidesato looked impressed. “You have an ingenious way of making money and remaining unseen.”

           “None of that would work if it weren’t for April and Casey,” Leo said. “They’re family.”

           Raph finished his cereal at the center island and then carried his coffee cup, bowl, and spoon to the sink. After he washed them and set the dishes on a towel to dry, he said, “If we’re gonna do some training, let’s go.  I’m stiff from sleeping in a strange bed.”

           When all four of them were ready, Mr. Hidesato led the way downstairs to the basement. As he passed a sensor on the wall, the area was flooded with light.  It revealed a large space with a padded floor and three padded walls, the fourth covered by a mirror.

           In one corner were a treadmill and stationary bike, along with a punching bag and speed bag. A good sized room next to that area contained many types of weapons, including guns inside of a locked case.

           “I will leave you to your training,” Mr. Hidesato said. “I spent most of the day attending to business and funeral arrangements and need to sleep.  The house is yours; please help yourselves to anything you may need.”

           With a bow he left them. Once Leo was certain the man was gone, he turned to his brothers and said, “We need to talk.”

           “Was this to be a private conversation?” Don asked meaningfully. His upward glance turned Leo’s head and the turtle leader immediately saw the camera mounted high up on the wall.

           “It can keep until later,” Leo said, striving to sound as though the matter was trivial. “Let’s get started.”

           The brothers practiced for three hours before calling it quits and heading back upstairs. There were three full baths on the third floor and two on the second, ensuring that no one would have to wait in line to clean up.  Mikey however did insist on joining Don in one of the bathrooms and Leo made sure to remind them to lock the door.

           It was nearly six pm when the brothers gathered on the ground floor. Leo asked Don for a layout of the house, including details of the security systems.

           Raph leaned in close to Leo, keeping his voice down as he asked, “Ya’ got some reason not to trust Hidesato?”

           “Once we’re away from the house, we need to discuss that,” Leo replied in a near whisper. “For now, let’s just say I have cause for concern.  I think he’s holding back on us.”

           “I don’t think I like the sound of that Leo,” Raph said.

           “Let’s remain alert for now,” Leo told him.

           Don separated from them to go into the war room and begin his study of the security systems. The remaining three turtles explored the ground floor.  Besides the kitchen and office with its secret war room, there was a half-bath, a formal dining room, a formal sitting room, and a media room.

           Mikey squawked his delight at seeing the huge high definition flat screen television and the wide, plush leather reclining seats.

           “You two better take off your weapons before you sit down,” Mikey admonished them. “I don’t want to see any of these seats get cut up.”

           “Bossy much?” Raph asked. “How about ya’ watch it with the snacks so ya’ don’t leave stains on the furniture.”

           “I wouldn’t get all that comfortable with living like this,” Leo said. “Let’s not forget that we’re here to track down and capture yokai.  We need to focus on that, not what we might perceive as perks.”

           “There’s nothing to say we can’t catch the local news in here,” Mikey said, hopping onto a chair. Grabbing the remote, he brought the big screen to life and found a channel that broadcast an early news report.

           “Leave him here,” Raph said. “We can go check in with Don.”

           They found that Don was using his own personal laptop to create a floor plan of the house and the locations of the security features throughout. The wariness that Leo was feeling had obviously rubbed off on the genius, who was taking pains to ensure that Mr. Hidesato did not discover what he was doing.

           A little after seven the brothers heard the sound of April’s voice and Raph and Leo left the office to greet her. Casey stood in the foyer with the woman, his arms laden with grocery bags.

           “I still have the key that the attorney gave me,” April said. “I hope that it’s okay that I let myself in?”

           “It’s fine,” Leo said. “We need to find a way in and out of the house that doesn’t involve going through Mr. Hidesato’s room.”

           “I hope you aren’t planning to blow holes in the basement wall,” April said, half in jest.

           “In case anyone’s interested, this stuff is heavy,” Casey said in a disgruntled tone of voice.

           “Give me a few of those bags,” Raph said, removing some of Casey’s burden. “Let’s go put this stuff away and figure out what we’re gonna have for dinner.”

           As they walked away, April fished a folded newspaper from her back pocket, opening it before handing it to Leo. “You know what’s sad?  That there are so many murders in the city that they don’t all make the front page.  I found this article on page three.  It might be one of ours.”

           Leo skimmed over the short article, noting that it reported the death of a young man in a neighborhood full of apartment complexes. He read over the details of the killing twice before looking up at April.

           “Your instincts are good. I agree that this is probably the work of one of the creatures,” Leo said as he handed the newspaper back to April.  “Would you take this to Don and see if he can find out any more information?  He’s in the war room.  I’m going to round up Mikey.”

           “Will do,” April said and headed into the office.

           It took Leo a few minutes to pull Mikey out of the media room. The younger turtle was no longer even pretending to watch the news; he’d found a movie channel and was enjoying a wild car chase that sounded very real thanks to the room’s enhanced audio system.

           While guiding Mikey towards the war room, Leo saw Mr. Hidesato descending the stairs. “April found an article in the newspaper that we think might be yokai related.  She and Don are in the war room.”

           “Ah, let us see what your friend has discovered,” Mr. Hidesato said, accompanying the two turtles.

           When they entered the war room, they found both April and Don seated at terminals, madly typing away. Don’s laptop was next to him and Leo sauntered over to block the screen as he retrieved the newspaper.  When Mr. Hidesato’s eyes were occupied with the story, Leo closed the laptop.

           Raph and Casey came into the room just as Mr. Hidesato finished reading the news article. “This was most definitely the work of a Kuchisake Onna,” Mr. Hidesato said, shaking the newspaper for emphasis.  “She is also known as the ‘Slit-Mouthed Woman’.”

           “Another woman? Are they all women?  What’s up with that?” Mikey asked.

           Ignoring his brother, Raph pointed at the paper and asked, “What’s the story say?”

           “A young man was murdered last night,” Leo answered. “He was walking to his apartment and witnesses say he was accosted by a woman who was wearing a surgical mask over the bottom half of her face.  They appeared to be talking, so the witnesses moved on and didn’t see what happened after that.  The man was found by a street cleaning crew several hours later.  His mouth had been slashed open from ear to ear and he’d bled out.”

           “The Kuchisake Onna was once a beautiful woman,” Mr. Hidesato said. “She was the wife of a powerful samurai and very vain.  She often cheated on her husband, asking the young men she bedded if they thought that she was beautiful.  When the samurai discovered her infidelity, he slit her mouth from ear to ear, screaming at her ‘Who will think you are beautiful now?’  The woman soon died and her ghost began to wander around, the lower half of her face covered.  She would approach men and ask them ‘Watashi kirei?’”

           “Am I beautiful,” Leo translated.

           “If the man said yes, she would remove the covering to reveal her disfigurement and then ask if they still think she is; ‘Kore demo?’ If they say no, she slashes her victim so that he will resemble her.  If he lies and says yes, she walks away, only to follow her victim home and cut him in half.  It is nearly impossible to run away from her, as she will continuously reappear in front of her victim,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           “You said ‘nearly impossible’. Does that mean there is a way to escape from a Kuchisake Onna?” April asked.

           “When she removes her facial covering and asks the second question, if a man keeps his head and responds neutrally, as in ‘average’, ‘possibly’, or ‘so-so’, the answer will confuse the Kuchisake Onna,” Mr. Hidesato said. “While she ponders that response, a man may run away and not look back.”

           “How do we capture her without getting sliced and diced?” Don asked.

            “The Kuchisake Onna is a very dangerous vengeful spirit, but she does have a fondness for hard candies, especially those of an amber color.  If you throw them at her, she will stop to pick them up.  Since she will be holding a pair of large scissors in one hand, once she has filled her other hand with candies, place the trap coin on the back of her neck,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “You must be quick, if she sees you coming she will either slash you or dematerialize, only to again appear behind you.”

            “So the trick is to get her to pick one of us as her next victim and then give her a non-answer when she drops the face covering,” Raph said.  “While she’s thinking about that, toss some candy at her, wait for her to stoop down, and stick a coin on her neck.  Don’t sound too hard.”

            “It will not be quite that simple,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “The Kuchisake Onna will not approach a Kame.  She is after young, virile men.”

            Almost as a group they all turned to look at Casey Jones.  “What?” he asked with incredulity.  “Am I supposed to be the bait this time?”

            “Looks that way Case,” Mikey said.  “Cheer up, you did say you wanted to take an active part in these hunts.”

            “That’s before I knew ‘active’ meant dodging a pair of giant scissors,” Casey griped.  “The last broad was creepy enough and all she wanted was coins, not blood.”

            “We’ll just have to make sure she doesn’t go near you with the scissors,” Leo said.  “Having other people in the area doesn’t seem to dissuade her, and it sounds as if she focuses on lone men.  We’ll all disguise ourselves and stay on the street to make sure that Casey is the only lone man wandering around.  Once the Kuchisake Onna has latched onto Casey, we’ll all move in.  Casey, as soon as you throw the candy, start running.”

            “Why don’t ya’ let me drop that coin on her neck too?” Casey asked.  “It’ll save time.”

            “Because the coin won’t work for ya’,” Raph explained.  “Ain’t that right, Mr. H?”

            “None of the warder magic will work for someone who does not wear the warder brand,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “If Mr. Jones is the last one to touch the coin before it is placed on the Kuchisake Onna, the coin will not activate.”

            “I can go along and help with any other men who might be on the street while we’re waiting for her,” April said.  “You guys can’t approach people but I can walk with them until they go inside someplace that’s safe.”

            “Just make sure they don’t think they’re picking you up,” Casey said darkly.

            “You should not be alone either, Miss O’Neil.  On rare occasions, the Kuchisake Onna has been known to go after comely young women,” Mr. Hidesato warned.

            “I’ll stay with Donny,” April said.  “He can trail me if I have to play bodyguard for someone.”

            “I’ll carry the trap coin,” Leo said.  “I’m the stealthiest.  I’ll make sure there isn’t much distance between myself and Casey so that I can reach the yokai when she bends down to pick up the candy.”

            “Don’t get too close or she won’t take the bait,” Raph warned.

            “The sun just set,” Don said.  “Any idea when we should go out?”

            “What time did last night’s attack take place?” Leo asked.  “The news article didn’t say.”

            “Sometime around midnight,” Don said.  “There isn’t a whole lot more information on the internet.”

            “If she gets another victim tonight there will be,” Leo said grimly.  “The front page will be screaming about a serial killer.”

            “Then we gotta make sure she’s a one-and-done murderess,” Raph said.

            “The weather report says it’s going to be foggy,” April said after checking the forecast online.  “That could be a problem.”

            “Foggy evenings are a favorite of the Kuchisake Onna,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “She may not wait until the middle of the night to attack if there is a thick enough fog.”

            “Then we’ll have to go out earlier,” Leo said.

            “It ain’t foggy yet,” Raph said.  “We got time to eat.  Casey brought over a couple of frozen lasagnas and I stuck ‘em in the oven earlier.  They ought to be ready pretty soon.”

            April got up from her chair and made for the door.  “I’ll fix a salad to go with it.”

            It was a nice family meal which April insisted they share in the dining room.  Casey appeared a little distracted and Raph worked to keep his friend’s mind off of the task he was going to perform later that evening.

            “Master Splinter would like this,” Mikey said partway through the meal.  “He’s at home by himself while we’re here eating in luxury.”

            “Your father is most welcome to come and stay here,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            Before Mikey could agree to that, Leo said, “Our sensei finds anything above ground to be disquieting.  He would rather remain in our home.”

            Mikey frowned and started to say something, but Raph gently kicked his brother’s leg to stop him.  When Mikey glanced at him, Raph gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head as a warning to drop the subject.

            The turtles had brought their human disguises into the house the evening before and after dinner they went up to their rooms to put them on.  As they prepared to go out on their second hunt, Leo lamented the fact that he hadn’t had a chance to talk to his brothers about what they’d gotten into.

            During the drive to the area where the Kuchisake Onna had been sighted everyone was quiet.  Leo had gotten the trap coin and the wax tool from Mr. Hidesato before they’d left.  Along the way they’d stopped at a bodega so that April could purchase two bags of butterscotch candies and the only sound in the van came from Casey, who kept crinkling one of the bags.

            “Relax Casey,” Raph said.  “Ya’ don’t ever get this nervous when we’re going into a fight with the Purple Dragons.”

            “Dragons I can handle.  Crazy ass ninjas I can handle.  Even that psychopath Bishop I can handle,” Casey said.  “Weird sliced up ghost chicks that I can’t hit are a whole other thing.”

            “You’d better get it together quick,” Raph said, checking out the street signs they passed.  “We’re almost there.  Don’t forget that we’re gonna be practically on top of ya’ the whole time.  Ya’ ain’t gotta deal with her for more than a couple of seconds.”

            Leo parked the van in the first available curb space, which was near a small dog park.  It was nearing nine o’clock when they piled out of the vehicle to find that the forecasted fog was beginning to descend.

            Cutting open one of the bags of candy, Leo distributed the contents to his brothers and April, pocketing his share.  “Just in case we encounter the Kuchisake Onna,” he said.  “Casey, you should have your bag open and in your hands so you’ll be ready with the candy once she accosts you.”

            “Oh.  Uh, yeah, good idea,” Casey said, looking at the bag of candy as though he’d just realized he was holding it.  Pinching opposite sides of the bag near the top, he pulled a little too hard and ripped the bag nearly to its center.  Discs of hard candy popped out and hit the sidewalk.

            As Mikey and Don stooped to gather up the candy, April stepped in front of Casey and took his face between her hands.  “It’s just another hunt, Casey.  She’s no more dangerous than Hun and you don’t think twice about charging at him.”

            April’s touch seemed to calm him and Casey took a deep breath, releasing it before saying, “I got this.  No sweat.”

            When April released him and stepped back, Leo said, “Remember, she’ll either say ‘Watashi kirei?’ or the English translation ‘Am I beautiful?’  When she does, immediately answer ‘yes’ so that she’ll remove her face covering.  When she asks ‘Kore demo’ or some version of ‘Do you still think I am?’ then say ‘possibly’.  Do not say yes or no to the second question.  As soon as she begins to look confused, throw the candy at her and run.”

            “Say yes first then say possibly, throw candy and run,” Casey repeated.  “Got it.”

            “Off you go then.  We’ll be trailing you and even though you won’t see us, we’ll be close,” Leo said.

            Casey squared his shoulders, nodded once, and started walking.  Raph and Mikey immediately disappeared into the shadows, staying within striking range of their human friend.

            “We could be walking around out here for a long while,” Leo said, looking at April.  “You good?”

            April zipped up her jacket and looked around.  “I’ll walk all night if I need to.  That dog park is problematic.  People could come out of their apartments at any time if Fido needs a potty break.”

            “It’s probably what drew the Kuchisake Onna to this area,” Don said.

            “If I see someone walking their dog, I’ll ask if they’ve seen mine,” April said.  “People with dogs are very sympathetic to someone who’s lost theirs.  They won’t be suspicious if I walk around with them.”

            “Don’s focus will be on you so anytime you’re not with another person, he’ll walk alongside you,” Leo said.  “We don’t want the yokai to fixate on anyone but Casey.”

            “Stay near him,” April said.  “He’ll put on a good front, but he doesn’t like ghosts.  I think he was secretly relieved when he had to stay behind to watch my back during the fight against the Tengu Shredder and his undead minions.”

            “We’ll keep him safe,” Leo promised before speeding off to catch up to his brothers and Casey.

            For the next two hours the group of yokai hunters walked and the fog grew thicker.  The dog park drew a few people out, but they were rarely alone.  It seemed that dog owners formed little cliques and either went to the park in pairs, or met up with friends once they were there.

            Twice April had to employ her lost dog pretense, once with a man and the second time with a young woman.  Neither displayed the slightest suspicion at her story or at having her walk with them practically to their doorstep.

            The constant walking didn’t seem to relax Casey at all, if anything, the heavier the fog became, the tenser he grew.  After a while the streets became deserted as the dog people, having made a final run with their pets, drew back into the safety of their homes.

            It was still short of midnight and Casey was walking along the sidewalk next to the dog park, when the mist ahead of him seemed to part and a woman in a buttoned down trench coat appeared.  She had long dark hair, bright eyes, and a surgical mask covering the lower half of her face.

            Casey immediately froze as he watched her approach.  She took her time, moving gracefully towards him, her eyes flashing an invitation.  When she stopped directly in front of Casey, she took a moment to appraise him, looking him up and down as though having found a prime cut of beef.

            Leo slid behind a tree just to the right and only a few feet away from the Kuchisake Onna.  He silently slipped out of his coat and held the trap coin at the ready.

            From his position, Leo heard the Kuchisake Onna ask in a sultry voice, “Do you find me beautiful?”

            Swallowing heavily, Casey stammered, “Y . . . yes.”

            Stepping nearer the man, the Kuchisake Onna slowly lifted a hand, almost as if she was reaching out to touch Casey.  At the last second, her hand changed course and she swiftly snatched the mask from her face.

            A long, twisted, and bloody gash ran across her face, distorting her visage horribly.  Her mouth opened into a gaping maw full of jagged teeth and a bright red tongue.

            “Do you still think I am?” the Kuchisake asked, her voice now a rasping nightmare.

            Leo braced himself, ready to jump as soon as Casey answered.  Unfortunately, his human friend seemed to have lost his voice.

            “Uh, uhh, umm,” Casey hummed, his eyes wide in terror as he stared at the mauled features of the spirit before him.

            The Kuchisake Onna’s right hand came up and in it was a huge pair of bloody scissors.

            “Come on Casey, say it,” Leo murmured under his breath.

            “I . . . uh . . . .” Casey stuttered.

            With an unearthly screech, the slit-mouthed woman slashed at Casey with the scissors.  Years of fighting had honed his reflexes and Casey pulled his head back, but not before the sharp end of the scissors caught him across the throat.

            “Possibly!” Casey shouted as she came for him again.

            Scissors lifted, the Kuchisake Onna paused, looking confused.  That’s when Casey tossed the entire contents of his bag of candy at her face.

            Leo was moving as soon as the candy bounced off of the yokai.  Casey saw the turtle and seemed to remember that he was supposed to be running, which he did, backpedaling for a couple of steps and then turning to sprint away from them.

            The Kuchisake Onna bent down to pick up a piece of candy and Leo bounded into the air, soaring over her and planting the trap coin on the back of her neck.

            As soon as it touched her skin, the Kuchisake Onna straightened and spun towards Leo, her scissors cutting a deadly arc right towards him.  A back flip took him out of range, but she moved just as swiftly, her feet hardly touching the ground as she darted after him.

            From their hiding places behind a bush and a parked car, Raph and Mikey jumped forward, coming down on opposite sides of the Kuchisake Onna.  As one they threw candy into her face.

            When the candy pelted her, the Kuchisake Onna froze, looking at the golden disks on the sidewalk.  Her upper body jerked forward, but the lower half of her form would not move.

            Looking up at Leo, her mouth opened in a wide, silent scream, her jaw seeming to dislocate and hang in that position.  Then her entire form shifted, turning into a blood red mist that rained upwards into the trap coin.

            Leo pulled the wax tool from his belt as Raph leaped forward to catch the coin before it could hit the ground.  He tossed the coin to Leo, who deftly caught it and planted the coin into the wax tool, squeezing it closed.

            While Leo silently counted off the seconds, his brothers, April, and Casey gathered around him.  With a sigh of relief, Leo displayed the coin, its wax seal firmly in place.

            “Casey!  Oh my god, your neck!” April exclaimed, suddenly noticing the blood staining Casey’s throat.

            “It’s nothing,” Casey said, dabbing at it with the back of one hand.  “Just a scratch.”

            “You’re damn lucky that’s all it is,” Raph said, sounding angry.  “Why the hell didn’t ya’ answer that bitch and run?”

            “Ya’ weren’t the one looking down a mouthful of bloody teeth,” Casey snapped back.  “I freaked out for a second, okay?”

            “Enough,” Leo said sharply.  “It’s done, we’ve got her.  We need to leave before someone spots us.  Don can see to your wound when we get back to the house.”

            “Yeah,” Casey replied shortly.

            As they walked back to the van, Raph reached out to grab Casey’s shoulder.  “Sorry, bud, it’s the adrenaline, ya’ know?”

            “Same here,” Casey said.  “This is all my fault anyway, I shouldn’t be acting like an ass.”

            “Shit happens,” Raph told him.  “Don’t dwell on it.  We’re gonna get all them creatures back again, no problem.”

            Leo wished he felt as optimistic as his brother sounded.

End Kuchisake Onna


	4. Night of the Teke Teke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 5,879  
> Rated: R 2k3 mild tcest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~This incredible preview image was created by the very talented AlessandraDC. It was commissioned specifically for this fan fiction.  
> See the full sized version here <http://archiveofourown.org/works/10445292>  
> 

            “I don’t understand, why didn’t she stop as soon as the coin touched her?” Raph asked.

            The group was seated in the office of Mr. Hidesato’s home, watching Don tend to the thin cut on Casey’s neck.  Mr. Hidesato sat in the chair behind his uncle’s desk, having placed the coin containing the Kuchisake Onna into the coffer.

            “Every creature reacts differently to its trap coin,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Some are powerful enough to fight the coin’s magic for a time before they succumb to its pull.  Until they are fully entrapped, they are still dangerous.”

            “That would have been handy to know ahead of time,” Raph grumbled.

            “There is much you have not learned about your responsibilities,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Unfortunately you four were not born into your roles as were most warders.  You are having to learn ‘on the job’ as you Americans say.”

            “I think we’d all rather not learn by one of us dying,” April said bitingly, her fear over Casey’s near miss still palpable.

            “My apologies Miss O’Neil,” Mr. Hidesato replied, appearing unflappable.  “I did not mean to sound irreverent.  I had hoped that I had already conveyed just how grave a situation this is.”

            “Leave it be April,” Casey said, sounding a little hoarse.  “I got this little neck souvenir ‘cause I froze up.  That’s on me, not Mr. H.  All of this is on me ‘cause I let the damn things out in the first place.”

            “That doesn’t mean you have to die putting them back,” April snapped.

            Casey reached over and took her hand.  “I ain’t gonna die.  I got a plan.  What I need to do is look at some pictures of these things we’re hunting so they don’t surprise me next time.  Ya’ got any drawings or pictures in that office, Mr. H?”

            “One of my ancestors was of an artistic nature,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I believe he rendered some drawings of a number of the creatures.  They should be amongst the things in the office.”

            “The internet has information on yokai as well,” Don said.  “We should probably be doing as much research as we can during down times.”

            Leo was watching Mr. Hidesato and though the man had perfected a look of inscrutability, he did seem to take on a more guarded expression when Don mentioned the internet.

            “I must warn that you do not put your entire faith in what you discover online,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Much of that information is based on myth and erroneous information.  Some of the images can be helpful though, if what you seek is visual forewarning of the creatures you will face.”

            “We normally form our own conclusions from the information we gather,” Leo said, “and we never rely on a single source for that information.  We can’t afford to make those types of errors.”

            There was a subtle underlying message in what Leonardo said and it was aimed at Mr. Hidesato.  That the man understood the meaning was clear in the way Mr. Hidesato’s sharp eyes focused on the turtle leader.

            Raph caught the cautionary tone in Leo’s voice as well and he frowned.  Looking from Leo to Mr. Hidesato, he sensed something very akin to a war of wills going on between them.  The two of them had been deep in conversation the previous day before Raph had come into the kitchen, and Leo had later said he needed to talk to his brothers about something.

            Whatever it was, Leo hadn’t wanted to discuss it while they were inside Mr. Hidesato’s house.  Leo had told Raph that he thought Mr. Hidesato was holding back on them.  If that was really the case, then Raph wanted no further delay in learning what else Leo knew.

            “If we ain’t got any more hunting to do tonight, we ought to go home for a little while and check on Master Splinter,” Raph said.  “He’ll be wanting to see us and to know exactly what we’ve gotten ourselves into.”

            “Casey and I both need some sleep,” April said, hooking her arm through Casey’s.  “We can meet you guys back here tonight.”

            Mr. Hidesato straightened in his chair as the human couple left the room, but he refrained from saying anything until they’d heard the front door close behind the pair.

            “Delays of any sort during a hunt could prove disastrous,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “You should not leave here while there are creatures roaming the city.”

            “We won’t be that far from here and I’ve got my laptop synced up to your computer,” Don told him.  “If any alerts come through on the program April and I wrote, I’ll be notified immediately.”

            “This undertaking should be your top priority,” Mr. Hidesato insisted.

            “It is,” Leo assured him, “but we still have family obligations as well.  We’ll remain here as much as possible, but we will have to go home periodically.”

            “We could use another way inside this mansion,” Mikey said.  “Coming in through your bedroom window is kind of awkward.”

            The change in topic redirected Mr. Hidesato’s attention, for which Leo was grateful.  He did not want to quarrel with the man, at least not until he fully understood Mr. Hidesato’s motivations.

            “There is a secret passage into the basement,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Unfortunately, it requires that one traverse the city’s sewer system in order to use it.”

            “Those tunnels are our own personal highway,” Raph said with a slight grin.  “We grew up in ‘em.  Show us where that passage is located.”

            Mr. Hidesato took them down into the basement, through the dojo, and into the weapons room.  On the back wall was a collection of maces all of varying shapes and sizes.  One of the shorter ones, gold in color, rested in the center of the collection.  Mr. Hidesato grabbed hold of that mace and pulled it towards him.

            Rather than coming loose, the mace swung on a hinge and released the lock on a section of the wall.  That section rotated at its center, revealing a tunnel.

            “There is a pressure pad on the other side, to the left of the opening, which will open or close this entry,” Mr. Hidesato explained.  “Use this mace to perform those functions when you are in this room.  Turn left as you exit into the tunnel.  After you have gone fourteen paces you will reach another door which will take you into the sewer system.  Access is via key code.  If the incorrect code is entered twice, alarms sound throughout the house.”

            “This is better than creeping through the garden,” Raph observed, thinking how he preferred this mode of entry because they wouldn’t have to be under Mr. Hidesato’s constant scrutiny as they came and went.

            “The access panel for the key pad is well hidden on the sewer tunnel side,” Mr. Hidesato warned.  “I will have to draw you a map of that section of tunnel showing the route you must take to reach it.  I will provide you with the access code as well.”

            “We have to take the truck back to the lair,” Leo said.  “It’s too conspicuous to leave parked near the house.  Donny, are the new shell sleds operational?”

            Don nodded.  “I finished the enhancements last week.  It’ll certainly be faster if we use those to travel beneath the city in our quest to recapture the yokai.”

            They trekked back upstairs after Mr. Hidesato closed the hidden wall panel.  Back in the office, Mr. Hidesato made a quick but detailed diagram of the section of the sewers that ran past the secret entryway.  He included the access code on the diagram before handing it to Donatello.

            “I am still averse to your leaving when another creature could appear at any moment,” Mr. Hidesato said as the turtles prepared to make their exit.  “However, I understand your concern for your father.  Should something arise while you are gone, how may I reach you?”

            Leo glanced at Don who dug around in his duffel bag before bringing out a shell cell.  “Touch the center with your thumb to activate the cell phone,” Don said as he passed the shell cell to Mr. Hidesato.  “One of us will answer.”

            “If you should need my assistance at any time during the remainder of this night, do not hesitate to wake me,” Mr. Hidesato told them.  “I am a very light sleeper.”

            “We will,” Leo assured the man.  “Come on guys, let’s go home.”

            For what they hoped was their last time needing that exit point, the turtles left the house via Mr. Hidesato’s terrace.  Don slid in behind the wheel of their moving truck and drove directly back to the lair.

            No one tried to talk during the ride, knowing they’d just have to repeat themselves once they were with Master Splinter.  Leo could see that Raph had a million questions racing around inside his head and knew he should offer his brother some reassurance.  Leaning over, Leo lightly touched the back of Raph’s hand, earning a small smile of acknowledgment. 

            After parking the van in the service bay, the brothers went in search of Master Splinter, finding that he had anticipated their return and was waiting up for them.  As they approached the living area where he was seated in front of the entertainment array, their father turned off the television and looked at them expectantly.

            “We had another successful capture, Master Splinter,” Leo said, taking a seat on the couch near his father.  “Though it didn’t go as smoothly as we would have liked.”

            “Please, explain to me in more detail this undertaking to which you have consented,” Master Splinter said.  “All I know is that Mr. Jones inadvertently released creatures into the city and you have been tasked with recapturing them, due to your unique upbringing and talents.”

            As his brothers made themselves comfortable, Leonardo launched into a detailed explanation of the circumstances which had led to them becoming warders.  When he reached the part in his story where he and his brothers had been branded, they each held their arms out so that Master Splinter could see the mark.

            It did not take long for Leo to spin out the entire tale, including how Casey had been injured during their second hunt.  He also told Master Splinter how Mr. Hidesato had so emphatically expressed his desire that they not leave his house.

            When Leo was finished he waited for his father’s reaction.  For several moments Master Splinter sat in contemplation, looking nowhere in particular.  Then he sighed and glanced around at his sons.

            “This is an enormous endeavor you have taken upon yourselves,” Master Splinter said.  “Have you considered all of the ramifications?”

            “That’s why we came home sooner than we’d originally planned,” Leo said.  “We want to have a frank discussion about the situation, but doing so privately was something of a challenge.”

            “Mr. Hidesato’s uncle installed practically every security device known to man,” Don explained.  “We’re not sure yet how much of what we do or say is being monitored.”

            “In other words, you have not come to fully trust this Mr. Hidesato,” Master Splinter said.  “Is this based upon instinct or facts?”

            “For me, it’s partly due to a conversation I had with Mr. Hidesato that I haven’t had the opportunity to share with the rest of you,” Leo said.  “The job of warder is passed down through the lineage of a clan.  Mr. Hidesato is the last of his and it falls to him to find another clan who is willing to take on the responsibility of protecting the coffer.  It’s a lifelong commitment for a clan.”

            “Wait,” Raph said, jumping up quickly.  “He branded us already.  He made us warders.  He didn’t say a damn thing about us being stuck with that fu . . . frigging coffer forever.”

            “Language, Raphael,” Master Splinter said automatically, though his son had censored himself.

            “We still have the option to say no,” Leo said.  “We agreed to this job under emergency circumstances.  Since Mr. Hidesato did not follow the normal protocols for a unification of our clans, he can’t hold us to this obligation.”

            “But he wants to, doesn’t he?” Mikey asked.  “He’s hoping that once we capture all of the creatures we’ll say okay to safeguarding them forever.”

            “Probably,” Leo admitted.  “I might do the same if the positions were reversed.”

            “I don’t like it,” Raph said.  “I feel like he ain’t playing fair with us.  Don’t it seem a little convenient that April gets the job of cataloging the dead uncle’s crap, brings Casey along, and they happen to find that coffer practically sitting out in the open?  If that thing is supposed to be guarded so carefully, why wasn’t it locked up in the war room?  How come Casey could find the key and open it?”

            “You’re saying that it sounds like a set up in order to recruit a new clan to take over warder responsibilities,” Don said.  “That’s pretty elaborate.  It’s presupposing that Mr. Hidesato knew about us and was willing to risk lives by allowing the creatures to be released.  He seemed genuinely upset by what Casey did and honestly surprised by our appearance.”

            “Ya’ wanna know what else I think?  I think he thinks that Casey is expendable,” Raph said gruffly.  “He ain’t been cordial to Casey since this whole thing got started.”

            “Possibly because Casey started it,” Don said, and then rushed on quickly when he saw Raph’s expression.  “What I mean is, I can understand Mr. H being chilly towards Casey, but surely he wouldn’t try to get him killed.”

            “No?  Well it was Mr. H that suggested Casey be bait for that Kuchisake onna and then didn’t tell him what he was in for.  Seems damn fishy to me,” Raph asserted belligerently.

            Leo rubbed his chin.  “I’d like to give Mr. Hidesato the benefit of the doubt; after all, he has been a contributing member of a clan that has been tasked for centuries with imprisoning untold evil.  Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s been around all of this since he was born, but in my estimation, he really skimmed over the amount of danger these creatures present.”

            “My Master Yoshi did not speak much of the legendary creatures of Japan,” Master Splinter said.  “Never when he was in the presence of Tang Shen.  We had our own evil to deal with in the Shredder.  I can offer you some assistance though my knowledge is limited.  Do you feel that this man has misled you?”

            “I think he needed our help so badly that he didn’t give us the amount of information most people need in order to make an informed decision,” Leo said.  “I started to read some of the Hidesato clan journals.  They are filled with stories of yokai captures but not all of those went smoothly.”

            “Is that the reason for your bad dreams?” Don asked.  “You knew the contents of those journals might give us nightmares, that’s why you didn’t tell us about them until now.”

            “Those journals talked about family that got killed, didn’t they?” Raph asked astutely.  “Mr. H said he had ancestors that were killed by the creatures.  Ya’ worried he ain’t gonna give us enough information and end up getting one of us killed, Leo?”

            “It wasn’t just the reminder that we could die during one of these missions,” Leo said, looking troubled.  “We face that possibility every time we go into battle.  What we’re stepping into here is a world of magic and monsters; there are worse fates than death.”

            “Like one of us turning into a creature?” Mikey asked.  “Is that what the journals said?”

            “There were warders who simply vanished,” Leo said.  “Others who had to be destroyed by their own family members.  I haven’t read all of the journals, but I feel that I need to do so.  Somehow I don’t think Mr. Hidesato is going to be overly forthcoming on those subjects.”

            “We sure signed up for a boatload of crap without knowing what the hell we were getting into,” Raph groused.

            “Then we should find out,” Leo said.  “Donny, Mr. Hidesato said his family business had to do with antiquities.  See what you can find out about them.”

            “Yes boss,” Don said.  “I still have work to do on those floor plans and the location of all of the security features, but I can’t do much on that unless I’m in the house.”

            “When we go back there tonight we should all focus on getting that done,” Leo said.  “You can ask Mr. Hidesato to give you the information, but we’ll verify its accuracy for ourselves.”

            “Good,” Raph said.  “I don’t much like being spied on.  How about we call Mr. H’s place HQ instead of house or home?  This is our home, that place is just our temporary headquarters until we finish this mission.”

            “I’ll vote for that.  We should try to get as much sleep as we can while we’re _home_ ,” Leo said.  “That means you should limit your research time to a couple of hours, Donatello.  Remember, you were the one who pointed out that there was too much daylight coming into our rooms at the house, so I’m certain you didn’t sleep well.”

            “Hey, I’m pretty sure there’s a bolt of thick, dark colored fabric left over from Halloween,” Mikey said.  “I could turn it into curtains for our rooms.”

            “Ya’ gonna be okay with us being gone so much, Sensei?” Raph asked, looking at their father.

            “I will be fine,” Master Splinter said.  “Please try to come home every now and then so that I can see for myself that all of my sons are still in one piece.”

            “We’ll make sure you’re stocked up on food too,” Mikey said.  “I’ll make a few meals and put them in the freezer.  All you have to do is heat them up.”

            “You won’t be too lonely without us will you, Master Splinter?” Don asked.

            “It will be difficult having to watch my shows without constant interruptions, but I will muddle through,” Master Splinter said with a smile as he stood up.  “On that note, I shall retire.  You should all do as Leonardo suggested and sleep while you can.  This hunt of yours will be a marathon, not a sprint.  Rest is important.”

            A chorus of good-nights followed Master Splinter as he entered his bedroom.  While Leo’s eyes were turned away from them, Don gave Raph a meaningful look before rising from the couch.

            When Raph nodded his understanding, Don said, “I’m not tired yet and I’d like to get that research started.  Mikey can work on those curtains and then come get me off my laptop so we can sleep.  Leo, there’s no reason why you and Raph can’t head off to bed now.”

            As Don reached out to give Mikey a hand up from his spot on the floor, Raph turned to Leo and said, “I guess I’m tagged with making sure ya’ don’t have any more nightmares.”

            Leo’s eye ridges lifted.  “I suppose that’s your way of saying we’re sharing a bed?”

            “Ya’ catch on quick,” Raph told him with a smirk.

            “I’ll take care of Donny, let Raph take care of you,” Mikey said.

            Leo took a deep breath and then exhaled.  “Very subtle.  All right then, I’m off the clock for a few hours.  Wake me if something comes up.”

            Placing a firm hand on the back of Leo’s carapace, Raph propelled him towards the stairs.  “How about ya’ follow my lead while I help ya’ relax?  You’ll be asleep in no time.”

            Once they were in Leo’s room, Raph hastily removed his things, letting them drop where he stood, while Leo put his gear away tidily.  Plopping down on the bed, Raph’s eyes roamed appreciatively over his brother’s body while he waited for Leo to complete his bedtime ritual.

            Before sitting on the bed, Leo placed his shell cell on the nightstand.  “In case Mr. Hidesato calls,” he said by way of explanation.

            Raph caught the top edge of Leo’s shell and pulled him down, rolling over to keep him pinned.  “It’s time to forget Mr. H and all of his baggage and focus on me for a while.  Think ya’ can handle that, Fearless?”

            Leo grinned up at him, his pulse quickening at the challenge in Raph’s voice.  “Don’t worry, I can keep up with anything _you_ can dish out.”

            Hours later Leo woke with a start.  He was on his side, wrapped in Raph’s arms, and turned his head against his brother’s shoulder.  Breathing deeply, Leo inhaled Raph’s scent, taking comfort in its familiarity.

            “I love ya’ too,” Raph murmured sleepily.  “What woke ya’ up?”

            “Dream,” Leo whispered.

            “Wanna talk about it?” Raph asked.

            Leo burrowed in closer to his brother.  “It was ugly.  You don’t want to hear it.”

            “To hell with that,” Raph fussed.  “Tell me anyway.”

            Grimacing, Leo said, “Something was chasing you.  I couldn’t see it but it was fast and it had some sort of bladed weapon.  I woke myself when I started seeing too much red.”

            “Probably just my mask,” Raph said, squeezing his brother reassuringly.  “Go back to sleep.”

            “I’m getting hungry,” Leo said.

            With a snort, Raph lifted his head to catch a glimpse of Leo’s bedside clock.  “It’s after two,” he said, lowering his head again.  “Guess we could get some lunch.”

            “Let’s not wake Don and Mikey if they’re still sleeping,” Leo said, reluctantly leaving Raph’s warmth and rolling out of bed.

            They both hit the shower before gearing up and heading to the kitchen.  Mikey had roasted a couple of chickens while they slept, and the pair tore into one of them, enjoying their quiet time together as they ate.

            Don and Mikey rose a couple of hours later and the four brothers met Master Splinter in the dojo for training.  Afterwards, Raph joined Don in the service bay to help him get the shell sleds ready for use while Leo gave Mikey a hand in the kitchen.  Together they prepared dinner and a few backup meals for their father.

            Before they sat down to eat, Leo asked Don to call April and tell her to stay home with Casey for the night.   Leo knew how upsetting it had been for April that Casey had been injured; giving them the night off would be good for both of them.

            Sharing a meal with their father raised everyone’s spirits and all four of the brothers were in a more positive frame of mind when they said their good-bye’s and hopped on their shell sleds.  With Don in the lead, the turtles skimmed through the sewer tunnels.  In record time they reached the section where the secret entryway into Mr. Hidesato’s house was located.

            “This area of the sewer system isn’t on any maps,” Don said after they parked the shell sleds.  “Mr. Hidesato’s uncle brought engineers and workers in from out of the country in order to construct it without the city’s knowledge.”

            Don located the hidden panel and opened it to find the security key pad.  He entered the access code and a well-disguised section of wall slid open.

            After they entered the tunnel beyond the opening, the wall closed behind them.  Don pointed up towards a motion detector.  “It closes the wall after entry or exit,” he explained.  “It’s also part of the security system.”

            “Having cameras on me all the damn time makes the back of my neck itch,” Raph groused.  “Mr. H’s uncle must have been paranoid as shit.”

            In fourteen paces they reached the spot where the rotating wall entrance was located.  It was so well masked that an intruder would have a hard time finding it.  To the left was a small pressure pad under the dirt floor and when Don stepped on it, the wall silently pivoted open.

            After his brothers were inside the weapons room with him, Don pushed the mace flush against the wall and the panel swung shut.  When they reached the main floor of the house, they found Mr. Hidesato waiting for them.

            “Have you seen the evening news?” Mr. Hidesato asked excitedly.

            “No, we were preparing things at home in advance of an extended stay here,” Leo said.  “Was there a sighting?”

            “In Central Park,” Mr. Hidesato answered.  “Last night a jogger was cut in half.  There were no witnesses to the event, but it was a yokai.”

            “Which one?” Don asked as they followed Mr. Hidesato into the office.

            Mr. Hidesato went straight to the desk and extracted a coin from the coffer.  Holding it up, he said, “It is a Teke Teke.  A very deadly creature.”

            “Aren’t they all?” Mikey asked rhetorically.  “What kind of name is Teke Teke anyway?  That’s not very scary.”

            “It is named for the sound it makes as it pulls itself along pathways on its hands,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Teke Teke are almost always women, as is the one who escaped.  She has no lower half as the result of being hit by a train while committing suicide.  The Teke Teke was the victim of assault by an attacker who went unpunished.  Now she chases victims down dark roads or paths and exacts her retribution upon them by cutting them in half with the sickle she carries.”

            “Okay, that’s scary,” Mikey conceded.

            “If she’s pulling herself along on her hands, does that mean she doesn’t have any legs?” Raph asked.  “How fast could she be?”

            “Very fast,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Victims cannot outrun her, even if they are in motorized transport.  Once she slices them in half, she steals their legs.  They only recovered the upper half of last night’s jogger.”

            “How do we capture her?” Leo asked.

            “You will have to lie in wait for her,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “She will not chase you because you are Kame.  Perhaps Mr. Jones . . . ?”

            “He ain’t available tonight,” Raph snapped, interrupting him.

            Mr. Hidesato gave him a searching look before continuing.  “Then you will have to wait for someone else to lure her out into the open.  Get between the Teke Teke and her victim.  She will stop to ask you ‘Do you need your legs?’  You must reply ‘I need them right now’.  The Teke Teke will then ask ‘Who told you my story?’ to which you must respond ‘Kashima Reiko’.”

            “Mask death demon ghost accident,” Don translated.

            “It is imperative that you answer her in exactly this manner,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Some say that doing so may cause her to let you live, but that has not been my clan’s experience.  She always kills.  All you are doing is delaying her; holding her attention so that one of you can shove the trap coin inside of her body.”

            “Where?  In the sliced open part?” Mikey asked in disgust, his upper lip curling back.

            “Yes, and it requires split second timing,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “If she sees you approaching, she will use her sickle on you.”

            “Where exactly was she seen?” Leo asked.  “Will she remain in that area?”

            “A Teke Teke will not stray from the hunting grounds it has chosen once they prove fruitful,” Mr. Hidesato told him.  “The unfortunate jogger’s remains were found on the path that runs alongside East Drive.  There is a section of the path that veers away from the road and is both dark and secluded, which she prefers.”

            Donatello set his laptop on the desk and pulled up a map of that area of Central Park.  Leo studied it for a moment, and then pointed to a section of the walking path.  “We’ll deploy at thirty yard intervals along this route,” he said.  “We can’t risk being any farther away from each other because we don’t know which of us will see her first.  I’ll hold the trap coin and Don will hold the wax tool.  If either of us is the one who stops her, we’ll throw our trap device to someone else.”

            Digging into his duffel bag, Don extracted headsets which he handed out to each of his brothers.  “We can stay in constant hands free communication with these,” he said.

            “It’s after ten,” Mikey said as he put on his headset.  “We should probably go while there are still joggers using that path.”

            “Be safe, warders,” Mr. Hidesato called after them as the turtles left the office.

            Using the basement exit, the brothers hopped onto their shell sleds and made their way through the tunnels to Central Park.  They stopped near one of the service entrances beneath a walkway bridge and after verifying that the coast was clear, stepped out onto a walking path.

            After getting his directional bearings, Don indicated which direction they should go and they soon found the section of the path they meant to stake out.  Leo dropped off from the group first, finding a tall, sturdy tree in which to hide.  Raph chose a similar spot thirty yards away, his spot overlooking a pair of benches and the only light pole for a mile.

            Don found a hiding place behind some bushes and Mikey took the last spot, staying at ground level as well within a thick growth of trees.

            The four settled down to wait, remaining watchful but neither too relaxed nor too tense.  They were experienced at stake outs and knew that stress could be overly tiring.

            In the next forty minutes three joggers passed their hiding places, but none had a vengeful creature chasing them.  Another hour went by with no sightings of anyone at all.

            “This is so bor~ing,” Mikey complained.  “Anyone want to play a word game?”

            “Shh Mikey,” Leo whispered.  “We’ll probably hear her before we see her.”

            “If she shows up at all,” Mikey muttered.

            The words had barely left his mouth when a sound reached them.  Looking down the path in the direction they’d come from, the turtles could see a bicycle patrolman approaching.

            “Police,” Leo murmured.

            As he rode past Leo’s hiding place, another louder sound came out of nowhere.  The Teke Teke suddenly appeared on the path, sliding past Leo’s tree so fast he didn’t have time to react.

            The policeman heard her too and slowed down to see what was following him.  As soon as he saw the bloodied upper half of the ghoul he let out a shriek of surprise and put on a burst of speed.

            Eyes on her prey, the Teke Teke began to drag herself even quicker, one hand clutching a gore spattered sickle as she left a bloody trail behind her.  Even before the policeman had fully barreled past his location, Raph leaped out of the tree and darted onto the path in front of the Teke Teke, his sai already in his hands.

            The Teke Teke pulled up for a millisecond, then came at him.  Raph braced himself, arms out and sai at the ready.

            When the yokai saw the warder symbols on his arm, she came to a stop and hissed at him.

            Afraid she’d disappear, Raph decided to goad her. “Got anything ya’ want to ask me?”

            From behind the matted hair covering her face, the Teke Teke’s eyes glowed with an evil blue light.  Her voice was both hoarse and wet sounding as she asked ominously, “Do you need your legs?”

            Though he was watching her closely, out of the corner of his eye Raph could see Leo stealthily stalking the Teke Teke.  “I need them right now,” Raph replied, keeping her attention focused on him.

            “Who told you my story?” the yokai demanded.

            Taking his time, Raph answered slowly, “Kashima Reiko.”

            She seemed to consider his answer, and while she was motionless, Leo crept up behind her and shoved the coin into the grisly remains of her midsection.

            Before he even had the chance to release the coin, the Teke Teke screeched and swept back at him with her sickle.  There was no time for Leo to move; the yokai was too fast.

            With a gigantic bound, Raph landed in front of the yokai and caught her sickle on his sai when it was only inches from slashing his brother.  He strained against her, not only was the creature fast, it was incredibly strong.

            Leo sprang back as soon as the coin was implanted inside the Teke Teke.  “Get away from her, Raph!”

            “How?” Raph yelled back, struggling with the yokai.  There was no way he could slide his weapons off of her sickle and get away before she swung the blade at him.

            Mikey and Don ran up behind Raph and grabbed hold of his carapace.  “Get ready to let go of your weapons!” Mikey shouted at his brother.

            Raph took two deep breaths and then exclaimed, “Now!”

            As he let go of his sai, his brothers yanked him backwards with as much force as they could.  All three flew several feet, landing hard on the paved path.

            Once more the Teke Teke screeched, flinging Raph’s weapons aside and then rushing after him.  Catching Raph underneath his arms, Mikey pulled his brother back as the yokai’s sickle came down, sending up sparks as it hit the path right next to Raph’s ankle.

            “Shit!” Raph yelled as her sickle came up again.

            Before another blow could land, the Teke Teke’s body suddenly flattened and began to fold in on itself.  Blood splattered the road with each fold, until her entire body vanished inside the trap coin.

            On his feet, Don raced forward and swept up the coin, placing it into the wax tool and sealing the Teke Teke inside the coin.

            Leo walked over to where Mikey and Raph still lay on the path.  Mikey worked his way out from under his brother and Leo reached down to help Raph to his feet.

            Still breathing heavily, Raph bent over with his hands on his knees and took a moment to slow his fast beating heart.

            “You okay?” Leo asked, placing a comforting hand on Raph’s shoulder.

            “Yeah, I’m good,” Raph said, straightening up and accepting his sai from Mikey, who had retrieved them.  “That bitch was strong as hell.  Funny how Mr. H forgot to mention that.”

            “Maybe he was so anxious to send us after her he didn’t think to tell us,” Mikey said, though he didn’t sound convinced.

            “I’ll talk to him about it,” Leo said, looking resolute.  “I want to gauge his response to that and a couple of other questions I have for him.  I’m not sure what we can do if we learn he’s keeping secrets because these creatures have to be hunted down by someone.”

            “How about I punch him in the face and knock some of them secrets loose?” Raph asked.

            Leo shook his head.  “I doubt that would actually work on Mr. Hidesato, he’s much tougher than he looks.”

            “Then what, Leo?” Don asked as the brothers started back to where they’d left the shell sleds.

            “I don’t know,” Leo answered grimly.  “It depends on what he says.  I’ll think of something though.  He is not going to get my family killed.”

 

End Teke Teke

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 


	5. Night of the Itsumade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 9,194  
> Rated: R 2k3 mild tcest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>             Leonardo should have known that Raphael would confront Mr. Hidesato rather than leaving the discussion to his older brother.

            Their encounter with the Teke Teke and Mr. Hidesato’s omission as to her strength had placed Raph in a very precarious situation.  Already incensed over his theory that Mr. Hidesato was putting Casey in harm’s way purposely, Raph was bound to boil over.

            Mr. Hidesato was seated at his uncle’s desk when the turtles returned from their mission.  Upon seeing him, Raph pushed past Leo and strode angrily towards the man.

           Planting his fists on the desktop, Raph leaned over and snarled, “Why didn’t ya’ tell us that bitch was so fucking strong?”

           For a moment Mr. Hidesato merely stared at him. Then he blinked a few times and leaned back in his chair, folding his hands across his midsection as though untroubled by Raph’s show of aggression.

           “Were you able to capture the Teke Teke?” Mr. Hidesato asked.

           “Answer my damn question!” Raph shouted, slamming a fist into the desk for emphasis.

           “I do not respond well to threats,” Mr. Hidesato said coldly, his dark eyes flashing.

           Leo stepped up next to Raph but did not attempt to pull his brother away. Instead he addressed Mr. Hidesato directly.  “We caught her, but it wasn’t as seamless a capture as it could have been.  My brother’s question deserves an answer, Mr. Hidesato.  We are dependent on you for complete information and an important fact was left out of your briefing.”

           Mr. Hidesato glanced from Leo to Raph, and then back again. “The oversight was not intentional.  Unfortunately, it has been many years since the Teke Teke was first captured by my clan and I have no personal experience with her.  Apparently my knowledge of the creature was more limited than I realized.”

           “Then how the hell are ya’ setting yourself up as an expert if ya’ don’t know what you’re doing?” Raph demanded.

           Rising slowly, Mr. Hidesato placed his fingertips on the desk and stared back at the large turtle. “These creatures have been in existence for centuries.  I learned all I could from other warders, from my Uncle, from journals, and from my Father.  That does not mean that I know everything there is to know, but I do know much more than _you_.”

           A low growl reverberated in Raph’s chest and remembering his threat to punch Mr. Hidesato in the face, Leo placed a calming hand on his brother’s shoulder.

           “The Teke Teke was fast and she was incredibly strong,” Leo said, drawing Mr. Hidesato’s attention. “We understand that there is an urgency in recapturing these creatures, but we can’t go after them without the most complete information available.  This legacy is yours Mr. Hidesato, not ours.  We are under no obligation to continue.  I will not risk the lives of my family and friends without assurances that you are fully upholding your responsibilities to us.”

           “The inhabitants of this city are in grave danger as long as the yokai run free,” Mr. Hidesato reminded him.

           “We are intensely aware of that,” Leo responded. “It was our friend who inadvertently released the creatures and though we feel a certain duty to rectify that mistake, the liability ultimately falls upon you and your clan.  The coffer should never have been left where anyone could get at it.”

           Mr. Hidesato took a deep breath and released it. “Please accept my apologies,” he said, bowing his head.  “It should not have been necessary for you to remind me that the honor of my clan is at stake.  I fear that I have been overly zealous in sending you after creatures before I have fully reviewed my clan’s resource library.”

           Donatello came forward, the Teke Teke coin in his hand. As he gave it to Mr. Hidesato, he asked, “If I may ask, how many hunts have you participated in for your clan?”

           Opening the coffer, Mr. Hidesato placed the coin into its slot and then closed and locked it again. He seemed unconcerned that Raph hadn’t changed his combative stance, addressing himself to Don.  “I have lost count.  There were a great many of them, but they were scattered throughout the years.  My Mother did not want me to become a warder,” he confessed, “but at my Father’s insistence, I learned martial arts in accordance with the warder code.  There are a number of warder clans throughout almost every country in the world, all capturing creatures from their own legends.”

           “What? You mean like Dracula and Frankenstein and the Mummy?” Mikey asked, wide eyed.

           Mr. Hidesato shook his head, a slight smile on his face. “Not exactly those, but certainly things that are similar.”

           It did not escape Leo’s attention that Mr. Hidesato had dodged the question that Don had asked. If not for Raph’s belligerence, Leo would have returned to the subject of Mr. Hidesato’s personal credentials, but he needed for his brother to calm down.  There were a few things that Leo wanted to have Mr. Hidesato clarify, but it was obvious the man would not be forthcoming if he felt in any way threatened.

           Donatello seemed to share Leo’s thoughts. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m tired.  Could we table this conversation for another time?  If we keep going down this road, Mikey will insist we sit up and watch horror movies with him.”

           “Hey, I don’t need movie monsters when I’ve got the real thing trying to eat me every night,” Mikey complained.

           “I ain’t done here,” Raph said pointedly.

           “You have my apology,” Mr. Hidesato said. “I do not know what more you want from me.”

           Leo glanced at Don, his eyes relaying a message. If Leo attempted to pull Raph away, the hot head would probably go ballistic, his deeply ingrained animosity for being told what to do coming to the fore.

           “What I want from ya’ is . . . .” Raph began.

           “The apology will do for now,” Don said, interrupting his brother. “Tomorrow I would like to review the floor plans and security features of the house with you.  Security and concealment are always our top concerns, for obvious reasons.”

           “As you wish,” Mr. Hidesato said. “I will be certain to make myself available to you.”

           Leo took a step back, sliding his hand from Raph’s shoulder as Don moved up next to the red banded turtle. “Could I get you to help me with something before we go to bed, Raph?”

           Raph looked at the genius, his eyes narrowed. “What the hell, Donny?”

           Don slid his arm through Raph’s, gently tugging until his brother straightened up from the desk. “Please?  You know I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”

           It was a tossup as to whether Raph would allow Don to pull him away or not. Don held Raph’s eyes with his own, keeping Raph trapped in his soft brown orbs.  Unable to maintain his anger while Don looked at him that way, Raph turned away from the desk and walked out of the office with his brother.

           Mikey waited for Leo, unwilling to leave his older brother alone with Mr. Hidesato.

           “You do understand that you and I are going to need to discuss some things further?” Leo asked the man.

           “I had surmised as much from the intensity of your brother’s anger,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           “Diplomacy is not his strong suit,” Leo replied, “but his ire was valid. If I find that you have at any time purposely withheld vital, need-to-know information, my brothers and I will walk.”

           “Understood,” Mr. Hidesato said, his expression inscrutable.

           Leo left with Mikey, the pair taking the stairs up to the third floor. As they climbed, Mikey asked in a low voice, “Have I told you lately how much I’m starting to not like this?”

           “I know you well enough so that you don’t have to tell me,” Leo said, keeping his voice down too.

           They found their brothers in one of the bedrooms. Raph was setting the curtain rod back on the casings over one of the windows, having already replaced the light weight curtains with the darker ones Mikey had made.

           “This is the important job Don needed me for,” Raph griped as he turned around and looked at Leo. “Don’t think I didn’t know ya’ gave him the high sign to pull me off Mr. H.”

           “It would have done no good to continue pressuring Mr. Hidesato,” Leo told him. “Your approach was justified but not effective.”

           “Then what the hell is effective?” Raph asked, crossing his arms. “When we were home ya’ said . . . .”

           “Hold that thought,” Leo said, interrupting him. Turning to Don, he asked, “Can we talk in here?”

           “I checked both rooms last time we were here, but give me a second to verify,” Don said.

           He reached into his duffel bag and removed three additional sets of curtains before finding the scanner he was looking for. Turning it on, he made a pass around the room and then stepped into the next one.

           While they waited for him, Mikey helped Raph put up the second set of curtains meant for that room. Even though Mr. Hidesato had said that no one could see into the rooms through the one-way glass, Leo still felt relieved to have the heavier coverings over the windows.

           Don returned a few minutes later. “It’s still clear.  Either the elder Mr. H didn’t have much company, or he trusted those who he did allow to stay over.  We can talk, but I’d suggest we keep the volume down.”

           He put the scanner back into the duffel bag and then sat down on the end of the bed. Mikey joined him there, while Raph leaned back against the wall.  Leo remained in the center of the room, stance wide, but arms relaxed at his sides.

           “When we were at home I said that we needed to learn more about Mr. Hidesato, his family, and his business,” Leo said, picking up Raph’s initial trail of thought. “Donny, what have you found out?”

           “I still have a lot more work to do on those subjects,” Don said. “The Hidesato clan wasn’t one for publicity any more than we are.  I’ve spent most of my time so far looking into their family business.  It’s called ‘Hidesato Importing and Exporting’.  They specialize in antiques and collectibles.”

           “Is there any more information than that?” Leo asked.

           “They have a web site,” Don answered. “An Akio Hidesato is listed as chairman.  That’s the uncle who is recently deceased.    Mamoru Hidesato is named as chief executive officer.  He’s the one we’re working with.  The company is privately held, so there is no board of directors.  It’s a global company, with yearly sales of around twelve million dollars.”

           Mikey whistled. “That sounds like a lot.  Is that a lot?”

           “It’s not bad for a family controlled importing and exporting company,” Don said. “I don’t know yet what Mr. Hidesato is worth individually.  From the looks of this house and the antiques that are in here, I’d say quite a lot.”

           “So wait. He told you that if we accept the responsibility of taking over from his clan, that everything him and the clan own passes over to us?” Mikey asked.  “We’d own it all?”

           “We don’t need it,” Raph said gruffly. “Who’s to say we should believe any of that?  Sounds like a carrot ya’ dangle in front of a horse to get him to go where ya’ want him to.  What good does any of that information do for us anyway?”

           “It tells us that Mr. Hidesato was at least truthful about the family business,” Leo said. “The fact that the only two Hidesato’s listed on the company roster are the ones we know of also indicates that he was honest about being the last of his lineage.  Verifying what someone has told you is important, Raph.”

           Raph lifted a hand and lowered each finger as he ticked off points. “He’s got access to money, check.  He runs a family operation, check.  That’s all I’m giving ya’. The rest is maybes and don’t know yet.”

           “It’s clear that I have more work to do,” Don said. “I started with the easiest thing first because I had to start somewhere.  Do we keep doing this job for him, Leo?”

           Leo nodded. “We do.”  Raph’s low growl drew Leo’s attention to him.  “We have an obligation, Raph.  You know how Casey will feel if he learns that no one is trying to recapture those creatures he freed.  He’ll do something crazy and get himself killed.  We aren’t continuing this quest for Mr. Hidesato, we’re doing it for Casey.”

           “Since Mr. H admitted that his knowledge has limits, can I suggest we do what you told him we’d do Leo, and not rely on the information he gives us?” Mikey asked. “Those journals you started reading seem like a good place to really find out what’s what.”

           “Are ya’ volunteering to pull your head out of the media room and read a few of them?” Raph asked.

           “Hey, if it’ll keep me from getting my legs cut off, I’ll read all of them,” Mikey said emphatically.

           “Let’s get some sleep before we do anything else,” Leo suggested. “We’ll get an early start and devote as much time as possible to research.”

           Mikey stood up and retrieved the last two sets of curtains. “Come on, Leo.  You can help me put these up in the other room before we hit the sack.”

           Deeming it a good idea to let Don continue to pacify Raph, Leo followed Mikey into the other bedroom. After they hung the curtains, the pair removed their gear and climbed into bed.

           Though they were both tired, Mikey coaxed Leo into indulging him in a light make-out session. They avoided arousing one another, only going far enough so that they were fully relaxed.  It wasn’t long before the two of them were sound asleep.

           Once more when Leonardo was in his deepest REM, strange images began to play inside his head. He found himself floating amongst the clouds, the wisps of vapor so thick it was impossible to see what lay beyond them.

           Suddenly the clouds parted enough to show him glimpses of brightly colored plumes which flew in circles around him. Leo tried to turn with their movements, hoping to keep them in his light of sight, but the things were too fast.

           Then he felt a sharp pain along his thigh and looked down to see his skin sliced open. In the next moment a claw raked along his shoulder and blood poured down his arm.  When Leo jerked aside to avoid another strike, he found himself falling.

           A hard jolt woke Leo abruptly and he sat bolt upright on the bed. Sweat slicked his face, his heart beating fast inside his chest.  His movement woke Mikey, who also sat up, thoroughly alarmed at the state his brother was in.

           “Whoa dude, are you okay?” Mikey asked, placing an arm around Leo’s shoulders.

           Leo exhaled slowly, getting his heart rate back under control. “I’m fine.  It’s just that my dreams have gotten a lot more . . . vivid since we started this mission.”

           “You mean you’re having nightmares,” Mikey translated.

           “Not all of them,” Leo equivocated. “Some simply don’t make any sense.”

           “Su~re. That’s what happens when you try to keep stuff all to yourself,” Mikey chided.  “I’ll tell you something I learned as a young turtle, Leonardo.  You don’t have bad dreams after watching a monster movie marathon if you don’t watch it alone.  While Donny plays on his computer later, me and Raph are gonna read those journals.  That way you won’t be the only one to know what’s inside of them.”

           “I seem to remember that you still had a few bad dreams whether you watched those movies alone or not,” Leo joked.

           “Once more you have missed my point,” Mikey said, lying back and pulling Leo into his embrace.

           “What would that be?” Leo asked, resting his cheek against Mikey’s plastron.

           “That my wisdom is not meant for literal interpretation,” Mikey said. “It simply _is_.”

           Leo chuckled sleepily, all thoughts of his nightmare wiped away by Mikey’s cheerful presence. As Mikey continued to murmur softly, extolling his own virtues, Leo dozed off.

           Morning dawned, but thanks to Mikey’s curtains, the sun did not invade the turtles’ bedrooms. Despite his interrupted sleep, Leo woke a little before eight a.m. and crept from the bed so as not to disturb Mikey.

           Making his way down to the dojo, Leo spent an hour in solo practice. This was part of his usual routine and after having it disrupted for a few mornings, Leo felt good getting back to it.

           Turning through the final steps of a complex kata, Leo saw Raph standing to one side waiting for him.

           “If you’re done, Mikey decided to make bacon and eggs for breakfast,” Raph said. “Ya’ gonna join us for your share?”

           “Sure,” Leo said, briskly rubbing his face and arms with a towel. “Is Don up?”

           “He is,” Raph said as they started up the stairs together. “He’s working on his first cup of coffee and making sure that any surveillance equipment in the office is off so we can talk freely in there.”

           “Any sign of Mr. Hidesato?” Leo glanced at Raph and didn’t miss the grimace of distaste that crossed his brother’s face.

           “Not yet,” Raph said. “He’s probably avoiding us so we can’t ask any more questions.”

           “That’s fine. Until I’m armed with a few facts, I wouldn’t know what to ask anyway,” Leo said.

           The brothers shared a quiet breakfast together without Mr. Hidesato making an appearance. Afterwards they went to the office where they found a note from Mr. Hidesato saying that he was meeting with his uncle’s attorney and would be out for a few hours.  He had written down the number to the attorney’s office and reminded them that he was carrying the phone they’d given him.

           “Looks like a good chance to do a little snooping in his room,” Raph said, eyeing Leo.

           Shaking his head, Leo said, “Unless and until we have a very good reason not to honor his privacy, we won’t be doing that. What we can do is read the clan journals and help Don make a complete survey of the rest of the house.”

           “Then I volunteer Mikey to work with ya’ on those journals, and I’ll help Don do his survey,” Raph said.

           “All we want is a complete floor plan and the locations of any security or surveillance equipment,” Leo called out as Raph urged Donatello out of the room.

           “Yeah, yeah,” Raph’s reply echoed from the hallway, making Leo frown.

           Mikey had started perusing the bookcase and had a journal open in his hands. Without glancing up from the page, he said, “Don won’t let him break into Mr. H’s room. All bets are off if the door happens to be unlocked.”

           “I’d really rather not start operating in that fashion,” Leo said.

           “He’s still pissed,” Mikey said. “You’ve got to give him something.”

           “So I should ignore breaking and entering?” Leo asked, taking a seat on the couch.

           “You have to admit that room is the most likely place to find equipment for monitoring the house,” Mikey said, handing a journal to Leo.

           “I know.” Leo stared out of the window, watching birds flit through the garden.  “You know the old adage about being caught between a rock and a hard place?  It has to do with reasoning in which contradictory observations lead to the same conclusion.”

           “I thought it meant you had two choices and neither one was good,” Mikey said, sitting on the edge of the coffee table.

           “I suppose it depends on the context,” Leo said, looking at his brother. “In this instance we have a man who is supposedly the last of his line.  He has a trust he is honor bound to maintain.  Yet somehow the creatures his clan has sworn an oath to hold captive are released, so therefore he must have meant for that to happen.”

           “That sounds like Raph’s reasoning,” Mikey said.

           “It has some merit, so I can’t dismiss it offhand,” Leo said. “Then this man seeks for a replacement clan to take up this lifetime responsibility and urges a group of viable prospects to recapture the creatures.  Only he withholds important information that could potentially get them killed, so therefore he must mean for the creatures to remain free.”

           Mikey scowled. “Yeah, I guess I see why that seems so contrary.  But Leo, if he wanted to see those creatures go free for some reason, why didn’t he do it himself?  And if Casey just beat him to it, why let April bring us in on it?  Why tell us so many of his clan’s secrets, brand us with magic symbols, and arm us with ways to capture the creatures?”

           “If he wanted to get to us for some reason, there are less elaborate ways to do that,” Leo said. “The only thing that makes any sense is that Mr. Hidesato told us the truth about wanting those creatures recaptured.  So he’s holding something back and we have to decide if his secret is so important that our not knowing it could get us killed.”

           “Which brings us back to the journals,” Mikey said, tapping the cover of the one he was holding. “Why can’t anything be simple?”

           “I’m sure that’s a question that has plagued people for more than a millennium,” Leo said, opening the journal he was holding and beginning to read.

           In a little over an hour, Raph and Don rejoined them. Don sat at Mr. Hidesato’s desk with his laptop and Raph grabbed a journal from the pile that Mikey had placed on the coffee table.  Leo glanced over at him when Raph dropped into a nearby chair.

           “Anything?” Leo asked.

           Raph gestured towards Don. “Lots of things.  Like the only room on the ground floor not sporting a camera is the half-bath.  Like there’s a secret room inside the closet in the master bedroom that houses a control board and six monitors.  Like no one could enter the grounds without being picked up on motion sensors.”

           “So you investigated Mr. Hidesato’s bedroom after all,” Leo said, keeping his tone mild.

           “The door was open,” Raph told him. “Might as well have had a sign on it saying ‘come on in’.  He left that note telling us he’d be gone for hours knowing damn well that we’d search the house.”

           “I have to agree with him there Leo,” Don said. “The panel that hides that security room was partly open.”

           “Maybe he wants to show us he doesn’t have anything to hide,” Mikey said.

           “Ya’ don’t mind if I don’t buy that just yet, do ya?” Raph asked sarcastically.

           Leo was leaning forward, sorting through the journals on the table with a concentrated expression on his face. “You know, these have a particular chronology to them,” he said.  “It’s not just a record of the creatures that the clan has hunted, it’s a history of the clan itself.  We should try to put them in order.”

           “Why?” Raph asked.

           “Because I think that the answer to whatever it is that Mr. Hidesato is keeping from us can be found in one of these,” Leo said, gesturing at the journals. “It may be something current, or it may be something hidden in the family archives.  We shouldn’t overlook anything.”

           “There’s a scanner in the war room,” Don said. “I could scan the pages into my laptop and write a program that will sort all of it.  That would certainly make it easier to catalogue all of the creatures.”

           Raph tossed his journal back onto the table. “That sounds better to me than sitting here trying to read through all of this.  Can that program of yours translate this shit too?  Some of this handwriting is barely legible.”

           “Yes it can,” Don said. “I’ll ask April to help with that so we can get it done quicker.”

           “Then how about we ditch this stuff for a while and get in a workout?” Raph suggested, standing up.

           “You at a good stopping point, Donny?” Leo asked.

           Don closed the lid on his laptop. “Yes.  I wouldn’t mind stretching my muscles either.”

           “Don’t leave your laptop here,” Raph warned as he started for the door.

           “I won’t,” Don said, tucking it under his arm and taking it downstairs to the dojo with him.

           The brothers had been practicing for a couple of hours when Don’s shell cell rang. He and Leo were kneeling off to one side while Mikey and Raph sparred, so Don answered the call immediately, keeping his voice down.

           “April? Is everything okay?” Don asked after seeing the caller id.

            _“Actually, I think I may have a case for you guys,”_ April said. _“I need to come by to tell you about it. Is this a good time?”_

           “Any time is good,” Don said. “We’ll be expecting you.”

           Leo glanced at his brother. “Has April found one of the creatures?”

           “She thinks so,” Don said. “We should go up and wait for her.”

           The smell of cooking food welcomed them as the brothers reached the ground floor. Mr. Hidesato appeared from the direction of the kitchen, having heard their voices.

           “I am preparing luncheon,” Mr. Hidesato said. “You have time to wash up.”

           “Miss O’Neil is on her way here with what she thinks may be information about a creature,” Leo said. “We’ll rinse off quickly, but if she arrives first, could you let her know we’ll be right down?”

           “Of course. I will set another place at the table,” Mr. Hidesato said with a polite bow.

           The turtles made quick work of their showers and managed to be downstairs just before April arrived. She let herself in and found Donatello waiting for her.

           “We’re in the dining room,” Don said. “Mr. Hidesato wants you to join us.”

           April greeted the brothers as she entered the dining room and then took her place at the table when Don pulled her chair out for her. Mr. Hidesato entered a moment later with a large tureen of soup, which Don ladled out while their host returned to the kitchen for the main course.

           It was only after they were all eating that April embarked on her story. “You guys know I volunteer at the community center on Mondays,” she said.  “One of the older women I help comes in each week at the exact same time.  I got a little concerned today when she was late, so when she did arrive, I asked if everything was okay.

           “Mrs. Wright has a family friend who lives in a nursing home. It’s one of those huge government subsidized facilities that’s understaffed and filled to capacity all of the time.  Mrs. Wright has told me stories about the place from time to time because apparently a lot of the occupants don’t get the best of care.”

           She paused to take a drink of water. “Anyway, Mrs. Wright told me her friend says that every night since Friday, the residents of the home have been subjected to a loud shrieking coming from somewhere outside of the building.  Her friend told her it’s coming from overhead, almost like something is standing on the roof screeching all night.”

           Mr. Hidesato set down his fork and leaned in April’s direction. “Are any words discernible, or is it only a screaming sound?”

           “Are you thinking that something is shouting a warning or a curse?” April asked with a frown. “Mrs. Wright didn’t say and in all honesty, I didn’t think to ask.  What she did say is that the residents are terrified.”

           “What about the staff?” Don asked. “Has anyone investigated?”

           “From what I gathered, there is minimal staff working the night shift,” April said. “Mrs. Wright’s friend is ninety-seven and confined to a wheelchair.  She doesn’t know if anyone has investigated but she did say that her friend told her she hasn’t seen any police.  Mrs. Wright also said that they try to keep authorities out of the place.”

           “I wonder if that includes the inspectors who are charged with ensuring that the facility is operating up to code,” Don mused. “Something should have been done about the noise that very first night.”

           “Is it possible that the residents of this home are being mistreated?” Mr. Hidesato asked. “A minimal staff and efforts to avoid outside inspection would lend itself to that conclusion.”

           “We could look online and find out what their track record is,” April said. “If reports have been filed in the past, there would be a list of citations.”

           “Do those things lead you to believe that one of the creatures is haunting the nursing home, Mr. Hidesato?” Leo asked.

           “This sound coming from above the building does make me think of a strange bird called an Itsumade,” Mr. Hidesato answered. “The terrible cry is actually a lamentation of ‘Itsumademo?’ which means, ‘Until when?’  It is asking those below how long will the suffering go unnoticed.  Itsumade are drawn to places of trouble, often to places where there is anguish or death and little has been done to alleviate the pain.”

           “If it’s drawing attention to unnecessary suffering, then why is that a bad thing?” Mikey asked. “Sounds like a whistle blower to me, not something that deserves to be stuck inside a trap coin.”

           “That would be so if this creature was content to simply cry out for help for those who are suffering,” Mr. Hidesato said. “It is possible that someone has gone to the roof to investigate, but was then destroyed.  The Itsumade has the face of a human with a pointed beak, the body of a snake with wings, terrible claws, and is capable of breathing fire.”

           “Fire?” Mikey asked, his eyes growing wide.

           “Should it sense that someone has come to try and stop it from crying out its warning, it will attack,” Mr. Hidesato said. “It uses its claws to rend and its fire to burn.  Its lamentations will stop only when the suffering does, or until it has been captured.”

            “And just how are we supposed to do that?” Raph asked with a touch of sarcasm.  “In case ya’ haven’t noticed, we don’t fly.”

           “That’s not necessarily true,” Don said thoughtfully. When the others looked at him questioningly, he continued.  “Remember our flying tech packs?  We could use those to put us on an even playing field with the creature.”

           “Ya’ make them fire proof by any chance?” Raph asked.

           “I’ll bet Casey could borrow some firefighter’s gear,” April said. “He volunteers with a neighborhood fire watch.  The pants and jacket will give you some protection.  Just try not to take a direct hit.”

           “We outflew Avians with those tech packs, we should be able to outmaneuver this Itsumade thing,” Mikey said.

           “If that’s what it is,” Leo said. “April, I don’t want you or Casey anywhere near the creature, but are you up for a little undercover work?”

           “Sure, Leo. What did you have in mind?” April asked.

           “After you and Donny run a check on the nursing home, could you get Casey to go there with you and look at the conditions for yourselves? See if you can find a way to get a real behind the scenes look at how the residents live.”

           “I can have Casey keep the administrators busy while I sneak past them,” April said.

           “We know how Casey keeps people busy,” Raph said. “Could ya’ tell him to tone it down enough so he don’t get arrested?”

           “I’ll make sure he’s just annoying enough,” April assured him. “If the home is doing something wrong, they won’t want to call the police.”

           “If some of their employees have been killed by the thing and they haven’t reported it, then I doubt Casey’s antics will make them phone the authorities,” Don said. “It would certainly be a big clue as to how they operate.”

           Leo looked over at Mr. Hidesato. “How do we capture an Itsumade?”

           “It requires the use of a signal arrow; a special arrow that emits a loud whistle as it flies,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Are any of you proficient with a bow and arrow?”

           “We all are,” Leo said, “but Raph and Mikey are the best at it. So to capture it, one of them needs to shoot it with an arrow?”

           “The trap coin is placed just beneath the arrowhead,” Mr. Hidesato answered. “One must shoot the arrow with enough force to push the coin into the Itsumade.  If you miss, you will have to retrieve the arrow bearing the coin and try again.”

           “Without getting our asses burned off,” Raph said sourly.

           “That would be preferable,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           From Raph’s scowl it was easy to see that he didn’t find Mr. Hidesato’s glib comeback to be at all amusing. In order to prevent a quarrel from breaking out, Leo said, “If everyone has finished eating, why don’t Mikey and I help Mr. Hidesato wash up while the rest of you see what you can learn about the nursing home.  Raph, would you call Casey and ask him to come over?  You and April can fill him in on the plan and remind him of how important it is that the police don’t get involved.”

           The sour look didn’t leave Raph’s face, but rather than start an argument, he pushed back from the table and left the dining room. April lifted an eyebrow at Leo but refrained from asking any questions, instead politely thanking Mr. Hidesato for the meal and then leaving with Don to get started on their research.

           Leo and Mikey cleared the table while Mr. Hidesato took care of the kitchen. Once they’d deposited the dishes, Mr. Hidesato told them he would take care of cleaning them and chased the brothers out.

           On their way to the library, Leo leaned close to Mikey and asked, “Do you remember seeing anything about the Itsumade in any of the journals you went through?”

           “Yeah, I think I skimmed over an entry about a giant bird,” Mikey said. “We verifying what Mr. H told us?”

           “We are,” Leo said. “Whether he’s purposely leaving things out or his memory is fuzzy we can’t take anymore unnecessary chances.”

           The first thing they noticed when they entered the office was that the journals had all been returned to the bookcases.

           “I guess Mr. H is a bigger neat freak than you are,” Mikey said.

           “Do you remember which journal the Itsumade reference was in?” Leo asked.

           Mikey walked over to a bookcase and tipped out a large journal bound in brown leather. “It was this one.”  He handed it to Leo.  “You read Japanese better than I do, all I could figure out was that some kind of bird was involved.”

           Taking the journal to the couch, Leo sat down to read. The door to the war room was open and they could hear the sounds of Don and April’s voices.  After idly looking through a few journals, Mikey got bored and entered the war room.  A few minutes later Raph came out.

           Spotting Leo on the couch, Raph crossed the room and sat down next to him.

           “I caught Casey just as he was getting back to the apartment,” Raph said. “He’s washing the engine grease off and then heading over here.  I told him to dress decent ‘cause we’ve got an assignment for him.”

           “That means clean blue jeans and a t-shirt with sleeves in Casey speak,” Leo murmured absently.

           “What’s got your attention?” Raph asked, bringing his head in close to Leo’s so he could see the journal pages that his brother was studying.

           “Mikey found this reference to the Itsumade,” Leo answered. “It’s in line with what Mr. Hidesato told us.”

           “Is that right?” Raph asked, fixing Leo with a skeptical look. “Why are ya’ frowning then?”

           “This account says that three warders were dispatched to capture the Itsumade,” Leo said. “Two of them returned.”

           They were both silent for a moment as they stared at each other.

           “Peachy,” Raph finally said.

           “I think we’ve already learned that none of these captures is going to be easy,” Leo said. “Remember, those warders didn’t have the advantage that we do; they couldn’t fly.”

           “Did Mr. H at least tell us everything about this creature?” Raph asked.

           “The only thing he didn’t mention is that the Itsumade seems to have a single minded purpose,” Leo answered. “It won’t be scared off by us.”

           “Is that all? No surprise crap like it shoots fire out of its ass and not its mouth?” Raph asked caustically.  “I’d hate to be dodging the wrong end of the thing.”

           The doorbell rang before Leo had the chance to answer him. Raph got up quickly, not wanting Mr. Hidesato to be the one to let Casey in, and then brought his friend back to the office with him.

           When Casey greeted Leo, the sound of his voice brought the rest of the group out of the office. A moment later Mr. Hidesato joined them.

           “If we’re going to have a chance of getting into the nursing home, we’ll have to leave now,” April said. “They lock the doors at five thirty.  I’ll explain to Casey what we’re going to do; Don will fill the rest of you in on what we found.  We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

           “Be careful you two,” Don called after them. When the front door closed behind the pair, Don said, “If the Itsumade is drawn to suffering, it picked the right place.  We had to do some digging but we finally found a paper trail of citations, dating back for over ten years.”

           “What sort of citations?” Leo asked.

           “You name it, they were written up for it by the city inspector,” Don said. “Malnutrition, overcrowding, building code violations, improper dispensing of drugs, untrained staff, understaffed, mistreatment of residents, and more.  They paid out thousands in fines and thousands more correcting their improprieties.  The citations stopped six months ago when the old inspector retired.  That looked fishy to me, so I found the name of the new inspector and hacked into his bank account.  The nursing home operators are bribing him to turn in clean reports.”

           “Damn,” Raph cursed. “April knows what the hell she’s walking into, doesn’t she?”

           “She knows,” Don said. “After we saw those reports, she was ready to blast out of here without waiting for Casey.  She’s mad, and you know what happens when April gets mad.”

           “Do we ever,” Mikey said with a laugh. “Little do _they_ know that hurricane O’Neil is about to blow into their establishment.”

           A look of concern crossed Leo’s face and Don quickly said, “Don’t worry bro’, April knows not to get herself tossed out of there before she gathers intel. She’s very determined to find out enough to get the management of the home held accountable in a court of law and have the government place someone more responsible in charge.”

           “Righting those types of wrongs are not the primary focus of warders,” Mr. Hidesato said, speaking up for the first time. “Our focus must be on the capture of the Itsumade or whichever creature is haunting that facility.”

           “In case ya’ forgot, April and Casey ain’t warders,” Raph snapped. “Ya’ want our help, ya’ take it on our terms.  We’ve been protecting this city for a long damn time and turning our backs on some old folks who need help ain’t our style.”

           “It’s an Itsumade,” Leo said, his voice low but firm.

           “How do ya’ know?” Raph asked, frowning at his brother.

           “I dreamt about it last night,” Leo replied. “Just like I dreamt about the Teke Teke before we encountered her.”

           “That was the nightmare you had last night?” Mikey asked.

           “You are having prophetic dreams, Leonardo? That is remarkable!” Mr. Hidesato exclaimed excitedly.  “You have been blessed with an incredible gift that few warders receive after being branded with our mark.  Only three members of our clan have ever had this power and they were the greatest warders in our history.”

           “I haven’t found it to be all that helpful,” Leo said dryly.

           “But it has verified that it is an Itsumade that stalks the nursing home,” Mr. Hidesato said. “We have no need for further involvement with the place.”

           “Did ya’ not just hear what I said?” Raph asked. “Getting rid of that squawking bird might be all ya’ care about, but we happen to give a damn about people who are suffering.”

           “We can do both,” Don interposed swiftly. “We’ll focus on the Itsumade while April and Casey deal with the humans involved in this situation.  It’s a win-win for all of us.”

           “Did those three dreaming warders keep journals?” Mikey asked. He could tell that this new revelation about his dreams was bothering Leo.  “Reading what they had to say about their so-called gift might be helpful to my brother.”

           “Of course,” Mr. Hidesato said, moving over to the bookcases. He selected three journals from the shelves and took them to Leo.

           “Awesome,” Mikey said brightly. “Leo can read while Donny and Raph go back to the lair for our flying tech packs.  Mr. Hidesato, I’m guessing there’s a bow and some of those signal arrows somewhere downstairs in that arsenal.  Why don’t you lead me to it so I can get a feel for that bow?”

           Mr. Hidesato bowed. “A very intelligent use of our time Michelangelo,” he said.  Mikey followed him from the room.

           “First time anyone ever used ‘intelligent’ and ‘Michelangelo’ in the same sentence,” Raph muttered.

           “I heard that!” Mikey called out from the hallway.

           “Come on Raph,” Don said. “Let’s go get those packs.  It’ll give us a chance to check on Master Splinter.  Leo, could you do your reading in the war room?  I’ve got my laptop in there and April’s cell phone is linked up to it.  She’s supposed to send a recording of whatever she finds at the nursing home.  If something happens and she needs help, you’ll know about it right away.”

           “All right,” Leo said. “See you guys back here in a little while.”

           For the next few hours Leo read the journals and watched the feed coming in from April’s phone. She’d talked a member of the management staff into giving her a guided tour of the facility and partway through that the man had been called away, probably because Casey had started his diversion.

           The images that April captured were nothing less than horrific. Not only were the residents strapped into their wheelchairs, their living conditions were filthy.  April went from room to room, floor to floor without encountering a nurse, doctor, orderly, or even a member of the cleaning staff.

           Leo couldn’t help but be grateful that the Itsumade had appeared to call attention to the misery of the people trapped inside that home.

           While Leo monitored April’s progress, his brothers were involved in their own pursuits. There was a room in the basement set up for target practice and Mikey utilized that area to familiarize himself with the compound bow he’d be using to capture the Itsumade.

           There were a couple of extra rooms in the basement that were used for storage and Don requisitioned one to be his work space. He and Raph cleared it out and then set up some work tables.  Together they labored to tune up the tech packs.

           From what Leo read, the warders who were afforded the gift of prophetic dreams had them in varying degrees. Some were like Leo’s; distorted images, often accompanied by physical sensations.  These tended to be open to interpretation and could be perceived as omens.

           At least one warder’s dreams were very specific in their details and gave the man a distinct advantage during his hunts. They told him not only which creature he was after, but where and when to find it.

           Leo sighed and leaned back in his chair after closing the last journal. He knew he should be thankful that he dreamed anything at all in advance of a pursuit, but it would have been nice if his dreams were of a more precise nature.

           Suddenly April’s face filled the computer screen and Leo straightened up.

            _“Leo, we’ve worn out our welcome here and are headed back to you,”_ April said. _“I think we’ve got more than enough to get the authorities to begin an investigation.”_

           “I saw the footage,” Leo said. “I don’t see how anyone could ignore it.”

            _“If they try a government cover-up of this scandal, I’ll make sure it’s on the evening news of every channel in the world,”_ April said with conviction.

           The picture went dark then as April disconnected the call. Leo closed the laptop and got up to stretch before heading down to the basement to see what his brothers were doing.

           Later when the group had gathered at the dinner table, they reviewed their plan for the evening. The Itsumade would not make its appearance until it was fully dark out and the turtles planned to be on the roof of the nursing home before it arrived.

           Although Casey wanted to be a part of the action, even having gone so far as to bring his own firefighter’s gear when he delivered the borrowed outfits, Raph talked him out of it. There were only four sets of ‘wings’ and Casey would not be mobile enough to battle the Itsumade.  Casey was disgruntled at being sidelined, but agreed to staying out of the action if he could supply technical support and also drive the turtles to and from their destination.

           When it was time to leave, Mikey was carrying the bow and a quiver holding six signal arrows. The trap coin would be attached to one of the arrows, but if for some reason that arrow was damaged, Mikey would have extras.

           Casey drove them to an area a couple of blocks from the nursing home and dropped them off before he and April proceeded on to find a parking spot close to the home. After pulling on the protective fire gear, the brothers climbed to the roof of a nearby building and tested the tech packs by flying over to the rooftop of the nursing home.

           Industrial sized air conditioners and a water tower made finding hiding places easy. Leo had the wax tool tucked into his belt and Don helped Mikey fit the trap coin onto one of the signal arrows.

           The turtles then settled down to wait. Sounds from below told them that street side activity was still frequent and since no passersby had reported seeing a giant bird, they figured that the Itsumade would not appear until the background noise had died down.

           They had not failed to see two darkened stains adhering to the gravel roofing material. There were still bits of ash that hadn’t been dispersed by the wind and several tiny bone fragments.  At least two of the nursing home employees had seen fit to investigate the strange sounds coming from overhead and had paid the ultimate price for their diligence.

           Even though the turtles were keeping their eyes peeled on the sky, the Itsumade’s arrival was sudden. It swept down from the clouds and circled the roof several times before opening its beak to cry out “Itsumademo?”

           Its call was loud and harsh; lusty enough to be heard throughout the block, not just inside the nursing home. The surrounding buildings were either vacant or housed offices whose tenants were gone from the area before darkness fell.

           Moving fast, the brothers ran from their hiding places, spreading out into a predetermined formation before blasting off from the roof.

           Seeing the movement, the Itsumade flattened its wings against its back and dove at the nearest attacker. It was incredibly quick and Raph just had time to dip out of its way before its talons could reach him.

           The Itsumade pulled out of its dive rapidly, curving its body to come around for another pass. Don dropped behind the water tower to avoid the flames that shot from the Itsumade’s mouth, feeling the heat fan out around either side of him.

           Mikey had the signal arrow loaded in his bow and was attempting to take aim. Each time he thought he had the Itsumade in his sights, the creature rapidly changed positions.

           “We have to keep it confined to a smaller airspace!” Leo shouted, seeing Mikey’s predicament. “Circle it!”

           Zooming into position, Leo began to fly around the Itsumade, forcing its eyes on him while his brothers rushed towards them.

           Moving in a clockwise pattern, the turtles began circling the Itsumade. Eyes blazing, the creature opened its beak to shoot fire and Leo yelled, “Go up, counter-clockwise!”

           They shifted just as the blaze left the Itsumade’s mouth. Mikey took aim but just before he released arrow, the Itsumade curved around and flew at Raph.

           The tech packs made them fast in the air, only not as fast as the Itsumade. Raph flew away from the Itsumade in a zigzag pattern, but it was gaining on him.

           Leo zipped towards his brother, forcing his tech pack into its highest speed. Seeing him coming, Raph turned towards Leo, his hands outstretched.

           Just as the Itsumade extended its claws, Leo caught hold of Raph’s hands and spun him around. Releasing each other, their momentum sent the pair shooting away from the deadly creature.

           Looking up, Leo saw Mikey draw back his bow string and fire. The arrow shot past him and Leo slowed to look back and see if it struck the Itsumade.

           Just before the arrow made contact with the creature, the Itsumade pulled its wings in and rolled. The arrow caught one of its feathers before crashing into the rooftop below.

           “Get the trap coin!” Leo shouted to Donatello. He saw the genius diving for the coin and then suddenly there was an intense pain along his thigh.

           “Dammit Leo, move!” Raph roared, plunging towards his brother.

           Sensing the Itsumade was right behind him, Leo climbed higher, moving in the same irregular pattern that Raph had used to avoid the Itsumade’s flames earlier. Remembering his dream, Leo sought out a dense cloud mass and plunged into it, shifting direction immediately.

           Leo saw the Itsumade’s body break through the vapor mass and then disappear again. Having lost sight of its quarry, the creature was returning to the nursing home.

           Taking a moment to check his wound, Leo saw that his pants leg was slicked with blood. A random thought entered his head about how he hoped Casey wouldn’t get into too much trouble for the damage done to the fire gear, and then Leo flew out of the clouds to rejoin the action.

           Raph was flying in close to the Itsumade’s body, drawing its attention as he tried to match move for move so that it couldn’t get at him. Don had retrieved the trap coin and was helping Mikey push it onto another signal arrow.

           They had to keep the Itsumade in one place long enough for Mikey’s next shot to sink home. The previous warders had sacrificed one of their own in order to hold the Itsumade’s attention long enough for the others to make the capture shot, but that was something Leo would never do.

           He would, however, willingly take that risk himself.

           “Hey ugly!” Leo shouted, waving his arms and coming to a stop to float in midair.

           The Itsumade’s head jerked in his direction and it twisted around to come at him.

           “What the fuck are ya’ doing?” Raph yelled.

           His moment of inattention was disastrous. So intent on avoiding the Itsumade’s mouth and claws, Raph didn’t see its long tail until it connected hard with the turtle’s tech pack.

           “Shit!” Raph cursed as the blow sheared off one of his pack’s wings.

           The damage sent Raph into a spiral even as the pack’s miniature rockets propelled him directly at the Itsumade. With a desperate lunge, Raph managed to grab onto the Itsumade’s tail.

           His added weight shoved the Itsumade off target and it dropped below Leo. When the Itsumade shook its tail to dislodge Raph, he yanked a sai from his belt and slammed it into the creature’s lower back.

           Once more the Itsumade rolled, but Raph clung tight. Drawing his second sai, Raph stretched forward and dug his weapon in at a higher point on the creature’s body.  Bit by bit Raph climbed the Itsumade until he was perched on its shoulders, both of his sai buried deep into the Itsumade’s form.

           The creature twisted and twirled, trying to turn its head so that it could burn the nuisance from its back, but Raph was perched in a place it couldn’t reach.

           “Raph! Its wings!” Leo exclaimed.  “Slow it down!”

           His brother acted instantly, digging his knees into the spot where the creature’s wings were attached to its body. The Itsumade screeched in pain and came to an almost complete stop in midflight, rearing back like a bucking bronco.

           Mikey promptly loosed his arrow, his shot flying true, straight into the Itsumade’s underbelly.

           “Jump Raph!” Don called out as soon as the arrow hit.

           Yanking his sai free, Raph leaped from the Itsumade’s back. He plummeted down to the rooftop below, curling his body to roll across the gravel and then sliding several feet before coming to a stop.

           The Itsumade’s feathers and scales burst into flame. It writhed in the air, flipping and flailing as the fire consumed its body until it was all pulled into the trap coin.

           As the coin started to fall, Leo dove towards it, catching the coin and placing it into the wax tool. He counted off the seconds as he flew back to the nursing home, landing just as the wax sealed the Itsumade into its prison.

           Raph walked towards Leo, pulling off his damaged tech pack and removing the fire gear. Don and Mike descended onto the roof to join them.

           “We got it,” Leo told them, holding the trap coin up for his brothers to see.

           “Ya’ got a nice new scar to show for it too,” Raph responded darkly, looking pointedly at Leo’s bloody pants.

           “You didn’t come out completely unscathed either Raph,” Leo said, examining the scrapes along Raph’s arms and legs.

           “You two can scold each other later,” Don said. “We need to get out of here so I can patch up Leo’s leg.  The bleeding hasn’t even stopped.”

           As usual he had a point, so the tired foursome made their way down from the roof and then into the waiting van.

 

End Itsumade


	6. Night of the Kawa akago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 8,526  
> Rated: R 2k3 mild tcest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>             Life with the turtles had taught April O’Neil many things, one of which was to be prepared for emergencies.  That being the case, she always kept a first aid kit inside her van.

            Donatello used items from that kit to staunch the flow of blood from the cut on Leonardo’s thigh and to clean the wound.  It was nasty enough to require stitches, but Don wouldn’t attempt that type of surgery while inside a moving vehicle.

            While Don tended to his oldest brother, April and Michelangelo took care of the scraped skin that Raphael had acquired during their fight with the Itsumade.  The fire gear that Casey had borrowed was piled in the back of the van, along with the turtles' tech packs.

            Rather than parking near the side entrance into the garden, Don insisted that Casey pull into a parking spot at the curb in front of Mr. Hidesato’s home.  Don did not want Leo walking any farther than necessary on his wounded leg.

            April hopped out of the van first in order to unlock the front door.  Throwing it open, she checked the neighborhood before signaling to the turtles that it was safe to leave the van.

            Don helped Leo make a dash for the entrance, partially lifting his injured brother so that Leo wouldn’t have to put weight on his leg.  Casey took the gear out of the van and piled it on the sidewalk so that Raph and Mikey could scoop it up quickly as they raced into the house.

            The things they couldn’t carry, Casey and April gathered up and then they joined the brothers in the foyer.  Dumping everything on the floor, the group traipsed into the kitchen, which was where Don had taken Leo.

            Mr. Hidesato had apparently been waiting for them inside the office, but when they bypassed that room, he came out to see what had happened.  When he got to the kitchen, he saw that Don had placed towels on the table for Leo to lie down on.

            As Don washed his hands at the sink, he said, “Raph, please switch on the light over the table.  Mikey, get the sewing gear from my duffel bag.”

            “There are medical supplies here in the kitchen,” Mr. Hidesato said, striding to the door that led into the pantry.  Inside, a panel on one wall swung inwards, revealing a small room containing medical equipment.

            Stacking items from shelves and baskets onto a rolling surgical tray, Mr. Hidesato pushed it up to where Don stood waiting.  With a quick glance over the supplies, Don nodded his satisfaction and set to work.

            Mr. Hidesato noticed the gauze wrapped around Raph’s wounds and asked, “Do you require medical assistance as well?  I am quite proficient at caring for all types of injuries.”

            “Ya’ ain’t touching me,” Raph said in a rough tone.

            “It’s only scraped skin,” April said hastily, sensing Raph’s animosity.  “I’ve already tended to him.”

            “Of course,” Mr. Hidesato said, unperturbed.  “How badly is Leonardo injured?”

            “It’s just a cut,” Leo answered before Raph could use Mr. Hidesato’s question as a way to lay into the man.  “No worse than any of the others I’ve received over the years.”

            “Yeah, except ya’ got this one from some big ass dragon looking creature,” Raph said, crossing his arms belligerently.

            “Did you capture the Itsumade?” Mr. Hidesato asked.

            Raph snorted derisively.  “Ya’ got a one track mind.  Anyone ever tell ya’ that?”

            “I prefer to consider myself focused,” Mr. Hidesato replied.  “Reacquiring the yokai is why we are all here.”

            “At least this time he asked about Leo first,” Mikey said.  There was a slight touch of sarcasm in his tone.

            “Cut the guy a break,” Casey said.  He stood to one side, his arms crossed.  “I don’t know about the rest of ya’, but all I can think about is how many people are out there right now getting killed by these damn things.  Things that I let out.  Every time someone dies it’s on my head.”

            “If you insist on feeling guilty, there’s nothing we can say to talk you out of it,” Don said, still concentrating on sewing up Leo’s wound.  “But you need to remember that the Itsumade drew attention to a very bad situation.  The information you and April dug up is going to save a lot of lives.  Think about that.”

            When Don glanced up to hand the needle to April, who was assisting him, she gave him a grateful look.

            “I have the coin,” Leo said.  “It’s in my belt.”

            He started to move but Mikey darted up next to him.  “Let Doctor Don finish patching you up,” Mikey said, setting a hand on Leo’s shoulder to keep him still.  “I’ll get it.”

            Reaching into Leo’s belt, Mikey found the little pocket where his brother had stashed the coin and took it out.  Turning, he walked over to Mr. Hidesato and handed it to him.

            “Thank you.  I will put this away immediately,” Mr. Hidesato said, leaving the room.

            Everyone was quiet as Don finished wrapping bandages around Leo’s thigh and then went to wash his hands once more.  April tidied up the surgical tray, sterilized the needle Don had used, and then returned everything to the pantry.

            Raph caught hold of Leo’s arm and helped pull him into a seated position.  “How ya’ feeling?”

            “It’s just a cut,” Leo repeated, looking into Raph’s eyes.  “I’ve gotten worse from sparring with you.”

            “My steel ain’t like yokai claws and ya’ know it,” Raph said gruffly.  “Suppose they’re poison or something.”

            “If that were the case, it would probably be fast acting,” Leo said, hopping down from the table to prove he was feeling no ill effects.  “Besides, I think Mr. Hidesato would have told us.”

            Glowering, Raph said, “Don’t be too sure of that.”

            “I cleaned that wound every which way to Sunday,” Don said.  “We’ll just have to keep a close eye on you Leo, to make sure something didn’t get into your bloodstream.”

            “And no keeping it from us if you do start to feel weird,” Mikey admonished him.

            Mr. Hidesato came back into the kitchen then and April asked him outright, “The Itsumade doesn’t have poisonous claws, does it?  We have a concern about Leo’s injury.”

            Shaking his head, Mr. Hidesato answered, “No.  Many people throughout time have been sliced by its claws and survived.  The claws are only deadly if one does not escape them quickly enough.”

            “Since ya’ already admitted ya’ don’t know everything, we ain’t taking your word for it,” Raph snapped.

            Ignoring him, Mr. Hidesato walked over to Casey and offered a rectangular piece of paper to him.  “I observed the damage that was done to the firefighting equipment that you borrowed,” he said.  “I hope this check is of a sufficient amount to cover the cost of replacement.”

            Casey took the check from him and looked at it, his eyes widening.  “This is enough to equip ten times the firefighters who volunteer with us.  Ya’ don’t need to give me this much money, Mr. H.”

            He tried to return the check but Mr. Hidesato waved it away.  “It is my way of thanking your volunteers for what they do.  Consider the excess to be a donation towards a worthy cause.  I have more money than I will ever need and no family to leave it to.”

            Though Mr. Hidesato did not look in Leonardo’s direction as he said that, the turtle leader felt as if the last comment was directed at him.

            “There’s a mess in the foyer that we need to clean up before we go to bed,” Leo said.  “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m tired.”

            He started forward but Raph stopped him with a hand on his chest.  “Ya’ go up to bed with Donny,” he said.  “Mikey and I will take the tech packs down to Don’s new work space in the basement.”

            “Casey and I can handle the fire gear,” April said, “and then we’re headed home.  I have a shop to open in the morning.  Good-night everyone.”

            Good-nights were exchanged and then the group separated.  On his way upstairs, Leo saw that Mr. Hidesato was helping Casey and April take the firefighting equipment out to the van.

            One of the bathrooms on the third floor contained an enormous two person jet tub.  Rather than going straight to bed, Don led Leo into that bathroom and ran a shallow bath for them.  Once they were stripped down, Don helped his brother into the bath, making sure that Leo’s leg was draped over the edge of the tub to keep his bandage out of the water.

            Very gently, Don cleansed Leo’s body with a sponge while his brother leaned back and watched him through drooping lids.

            “How much rest are you actually getting when you sleep?” Don asked casually, his eyes remaining on his task.

            “Enough,” Leo said drowsily.

            “Liar,” Don countered. 

           There was no sharpness to his tone and a corner of Leo’s mouth lifted. “Why do you ask if you know how I’m going to answer?”

           “Maybe I’m hoping that someday you’ll be honest with your doctor,” Don said. “It’s because of those dreams, isn’t it?”

           “They don’t help,” Leo answered truthfully. “They happen whether I want them to or not.”

           “If I gave you something to help you sleep . . . .” Don began.

           “I wouldn’t take it,” Leo interrupted. “You know perfectly well I don’t like my senses dulled in that way.”

           “You’re a stubborn ass, just like Raph,” Don said without rancor. “Why are half my patients so difficult?”

           “That’s a rhetorical question, so I won’t bother trying to come up with an answer,” Leo said. “Mikey does what you tell him.”

           “No he doesn’t,” Don said. “He just says he will because he likes the attention.  Mikey forgets all of my instructions as soon as I’m out of view.”

           “Then it’s a good thing you have such a small clientele,” Leo said with a touch of humor.

           “I’m glad you think it’s funny,” Don said as he finished washing himself. “Ready for bed?”

           “M-hm,” Leo murmured sleepily, letting Don help him out of the tub.

           Leo allowed himself to enjoy Don’s pampering as his brother dried him with a large, fluffy towel. Collecting their gear, the pair headed into the bedroom that wasn’t already occupied.  From next door they could hear the muffled sounds of churrs.

           Seeing the slight frown on his brother’s face, Don said quickly, “The rooms aren’t bugged and there aren’t any cameras. If this is our home away from home, then we should enjoy each other the way we normally do.  They’re keeping the noise down to a minimum.  Mr. Hidesato won’t hear a thing.”

           Leo released a sigh. “I suppose I’m being overly cautious.  Our relationship is a private thing that I don’t think Mr. Hidesato needs to know about.”

           “Because you don’t know how he’d take it,” Don said, sitting on the bed and pulling on Leo’s hand until his brother sat down next to him. “Considering the number of slots in that coffer, we may be at this job for a while.  We can’t hide this side of our relationship from him forever.  How about we deal with it if and when the time comes?”

           “As always, you are very wise,” Leo said, offering Don a smile.

           Leaning over, Don kissed him. There was a twinkle in his brown eyes as he said, “Why don’t you lie back, spread your legs, and let me give you the kind of sedative that you won’t complain about?”

           True to his word, Don’s ‘sedative’ sent Leo into a deep sleep. When he woke nearly seven hours later, Leo wasn’t sure if it was from the dull throb in his thigh, or the dream he’d had.

           Don lay curved against his side, one arm across Leo’s chest. Too relaxed to move, Leo looked up at the ceiling and thought about the dream.  He and his brothers were swimming in the river, enjoying themselves beneath the water even though they had to be careful around the many dark and undefined shapes that periodically appeared in front of them.

           Dreaming about water after a relaxed soak in the bathtub didn’t seem all that unusual to Leo. Normally a dream of that sort wouldn’t linger in his head, but for some reason it was still vivid even after waking.

            The change is his breathing must have alerted Don, who stirred slightly and asked, “You okay?”

            “Yep,” Leo answered, yawning.  “I’d like to get in a workout.”

            “Not if you’re going to pull those stitches,” Don responded menacingly.  “If you insist on it, we’ll go down together so I can keep an eye on you.”

            “Without coffee?” Leo teased as he rose from the bed.

            “I’ll survive,” Don said.  “For a little while anyway.”

            The pair had been in the dojo for about thirty minutes when they were joined by Raph and a sleepy looking Mikey.

            Pausing in his pull-up routine, Leo said, “I thought you two would have slept in.”

            There was a suggestive nuance in his voice that didn’t escape Raph’s notice.  “Yeah?  Well from the sounds I heard ya’ making, the two of ya’ didn’t go right to sleep either.”

            Leo glanced at the cameras but before he could say anything, Don spoke up.  “They’re off.”  He patted his laptop.  “I wrote an override routine so I can control security from here.  The idea of being constantly spied on doesn’t sit well with me either.”

            “You go Donny,” Mikey said as he plopped down on a mat and began stretching.  “Are we practicing or what?”

            “We are, Leo isn’t,” Don said firmly.  “He can critique from the sidelines.”

            “Peachy,” Raph muttered.  “Leo in Splinter Junior mode, always _my_ favorite thing.”

            His gripe was ignored.  The group spent a couple of hours working out and training before heading upstairs for brunch.

            While Mikey prepared omelets, Leo cut up some fresh fruit.  Don switched on the small television set that was in the kitchen and flipped to a news station.

            A few minutes later a report came on about a federal raid on a local nursing home.  The brothers stopped what they were doing to watch as footage of various arrests were shown, along with film taken by the anonymous whistle blower who had broken the story.

            “April moves fast when she’s motivated,” Mikey said, waving his spatula at the television screen.

            Raph laughed.  “She must have lit a fire under someone’s butt bright and early this morning.”

            “Her appraisal business has introduced her to some influential new friends,” Don told them.  “April always did know where to apply pressure.”

            When Leo picked up the tea pot, Raph took it away from him.  “Go sit down.  I’ll make your tea and Don’s coffee.  There ain’t enough room for ya’ over here anyway.”

            Leo knew better than to fight that particular battle, especially with the way Don was glaring at him.  Taking the bowl of fruit with him, Leo sat down next to Don at the kitchen table.  His genius brother had his laptop open and was typing away at something.

            The smell of food mingled with coffee and the four brothers enjoyed the companionable quiet, the sound on the television having been muted.

           After a bit, Don noticed Leo staring into space. “Penny for your thoughts.”

           “Did you have the secret room inside the pantry on your floor plan?” Leo asked.

           “No,” Don answered. “I didn’t even know about it until Mr. H opened it up.  I’ll add it later.”

           “I wonder how many other rooms of that sort are tucked into spaces throughout the house,” Leo mused. “Do you think Mr. Hidesato knows all of them?”

           “Add that to the long list of secrets the guy’s keeping,” Raph said, setting a cup of tea in front of Leo and one of coffee before Don.

           “To be fair, I haven’t actually had the time to sit down with him and go over the layout of the house,” Don said. “We talked about getting together to do that, but we keep missing each other.”

           “Do that today,” Leo said. “As soon as he makes an appearance.  Show him the floor plan you’ve already come up with and then have him verify its accuracy.”

           “And what will we be doing today?” Raph asked as he and Mikey placed omelets before Leo and Don and then sat down at the table with theirs.

           “Journals,” Leo said, earning a groan from both of his brightly banded brothers. “Would you rather rely entirely on Mr. Hidesato’s memory?”

           “If one of you would rather scan the pages into the computer for me, I can show you how to work the scanner,” Don said.

           Raph swallowed a bite of food and said, “Show Mikey. He’s better with gadgets than I am and ya’ sure don’t want Leo touching sensitive electrical equipment.”

           “It’s been years since I last broke the toaster,” Leo protested.

           “Months,” Raph corrected, giving him a roguish grin. “You’re suffering from selective memory.”

           They finished their meal and cleaned up after without seeing Mr. Hidesato. Their next stop was the office, where they found that Mr. Hidesato had once more put things away.

           “Ya’ think he’s, what do they call it when someone can’t stand for things to be messy?” Raph asked.

           “The opposite of you, Raph? Not a slob?” Mikey asked with a deceptively innocent look.

           “You’re one to talk,” Raph growled at him.

           “I think you mean obsessive,” Don said.

           “If you put it back where you got it from, it doesn’t get lost,” Leo said, choosing a few journals from the bookshelves.

           “Then why ain’t ya’ been doing that?” Raph asked. “Ya’ take them out, he puts them back.”

           Leo frowned. “I’ve been putting them into specific piles on the coffee table,” he said.  “Trying to sort them chronologically.”

           “Maybe you need to tell him you’re doing that so he doesn’t put them back on the shelves,” Don said.

           “Yeah, unless he’s sticking them back on the shelves to keep you from finding something,” Mikey said.

           “We’re going to have to reach some level of trust with the man if we’re going to work with him,” Leo said.

           “So far it’s been a one way street,” Raph said. “We’re doing all the work and he’s withholding all the information.”

           Not in the mood to listen to that argument again, Don said, “Come on, Mikey. Grab one of those journals and let me show you how to scan its pages.”

           When the pair entered the war room, Leo looked at Raph and asked him in a low voice, “What do you want me to do, Raph? I’ve made it clear to him that we won’t continue this hunt if he holds out on us.  He’s apologized and blamed previous lapses on a lack of firsthand knowledge and faulty memory.  These creatures are loose in our city and they’re killing people.”

           “I know, I know,” Raph said. “I heard Casey last night.  Don’t matter what we say, he’s gonna feel guilty for every death.  The more of them we can prevent, the better.  I don’t like feeling boxed in is all.”

           “Neither do I. Here,” Leo said, handing his brother a journal, “the handwriting in this one isn’t too bad.  Why don’t you see what this ancestor had to say about hunting yokai?”

           “What the heck,” Raph said as he plopped down on the couch.  “It’ll be just like reading real life horror stories.”

           A short while later movement from outside in the garden caught Leo’s attention and he looked up. Four men were spread out along the paths, raking leaves, trimming bushes, and pulling weeds.

           Raph saw his brother looking at something and turned his head. “Crap!” he exclaimed, startled.  “Ya’ sure they can’t see us?”

           “Mr. Hidesato assured me this was one way vision glass,” Leo answered.

           The sound of a door closing from somewhere on the ground floor drew their attention and then a minute later, Mr. Hidesato entered the room.

           “My uncle’s attorney chose not to discontinue the services of a grounds crew,” Mr. Hidesato said. “I approved that decision yesterday when we met, knowing that you do not venture outdoors during daylight hours.  I am in somewhat of a quandary with regards to the housecleaning staff.  My uncle has used the services of the same group of people for a number of years, and they are extremely trustworthy.  I would hate to lose them.”

           “If they don’t go down into the basement or into the war room, we could stay in those places when they’re here,” Leo said. “We can take care of any cleaning that needs to be done in those two areas ourselves.”

           Mr. Hidesato bowed. “That would work well.  I will post the cleaning schedule on the board in the kitchen.  Have you had lunch?”

           “We had a late breakfast,” Don told him, coming out of the war room after hearing the man’s voice. “Once you’ve eaten, could you spare some time to review the floor plan and security systems with me?”

           “I did promise to do that, did I not? Come, we will go to the kitchen and confer there,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           With his laptop tucked beneath his arm, Don followed Mr. Hidesato. Raph leaned forward and in a low voice asked Leo, “Do ya’ think I should go with them?”

           “I doubt that Don needs a bodyguard,” Leo said mildly. “Why, do you have some reason to believe that leaving them alone together is a bad idea?”

           Raph shrugged before settling back. “Nah, I guess not.”

           He’d just turned the page on the journal he was reading when Mikey popped back in. “I like this job,” he said, dropping the journal he’d been scanning on the desk.  “Donny has a whole system set up for keeping track of which journals we’ve scanned.  All I have to do is put the pages face down, check the monitor to see if the image is clear, and press a button.  Hey, what’s going on outside?”

           “Grounds crew,” Raph said without looking up. “There’s a cleaning crew too.  Mr. H is gonna write their schedule on the board in the kitchen so we can hide when they’re here.”

           “You mean to tell me there’s people who clean the house so we don’t have to do it?” Mikey asked. “I’m never leaving here!”

           “A media room and a cleaning staff. Ya’ know Leo, we might have to use a crowbar to pry him out of here when the time comes to leave,” Raph said.

           “Why can’t we keep the nice stuff for once?” Mikey asked with a frown. “It was offered to us, wasn’t it?”

           Raph closed his journal with a snap. “That ‘offer’ as ya’ call it comes with a price.  Ya’ might want to think about that ‘cause it’s a decision we’re all gonna have to agree on.”

           “Guys,” Don called out from the hallway, warning them that he was approaching and that he wasn’t alone. When he walked in Mr. Hidesato was with him.

           Raph and Mikey glared at each other and then turned their attention to Don.

           “I got a ping on my laptop while we were working,” Don said. “You remember the program that April and I wrote to search for patterns that might tell us of yokai activity?  I think I’ve got something.”

           He walked across the room and set his laptop on the desk before turning again to face his brothers.

           “Early this morning a patrol officer drowned off of the river bank at East River Park in Brooklyn,” Don said. “He was responding to a call, the second one in the last three days, about something that sounded like a crying baby.  The first report was from a fisherman who went into the water amongst the weeds to see if a child was there.

           “He had waded in up to his knees when he claimed his legs got tangled in something and he went under. Fortunately, he was fishing with a friend who grabbed onto his fishing pole and pulled him out of the water.  They called the police but by the time they arrived, the sun was coming up and whatever had made the sound was gone.  The police said it was probably a crane or some other bird and wrote the incident off.”

           “Let me guess,” Raph said. “His legs didn’t get tangled in anything.”

           Don shook his head. “Something tried to yank him under.  It was successful today.  A pair of police officers responded to another call about a crying baby.  According to his partner, the first officer had waded out into water only up to his calves looking for the source of those cries.  The next thing the officer knew, his partner cried out and then disappeared into the water.”

           “Did he go in after him?” Mikey asked.

           “He radioed in as he stripped off his gear. By the time he got in the water, his partner was no longer in the spot where he’d gone down.  The water was murky and passersby stopped to help, shining their flashlights everywhere, but they couldn’t find the man.  His body was located a little ways downriver a couple of hours later,” Don said.  “That combination of incidents flagged an alert on my computer.  I have a way of collecting confidential police report details that the media can’t get.”

           “That means he hacked into something,” Raph translated for Mr. Hidesato’s benefit.

           Leo took a slow breath, sitting up straight before catching Mr. Hidesato’s attention. “Do you know what creature it is?” he asked.

           Mr. Hidesato’s brow furrowed. “You seem certain that this is one.  Did you have another dream?”

           Though Leo could feel Don’s eyes on him, his focus remained on Mr. Hidesato. “I dreamed that my brothers and I were swimming in the river.  Other than dark shapes near the bottom that was probably trash, there was nothing else to the dream.”

           “You didn’t tell me about it this morning,” Don said, a slightly scolding edge in his voice.

           “I associated it with concern about getting my leg wet while bathing last night,” Leo said. “That’s all I thought it was.  It is a creature, isn’t it Mr. Hidesato?”

           “It is a Kawa akago,” Mr. Hidesato said. “A river baby.  They are tricksters, cousins of the Kappa, but where Kappa prefer to dine on human entrails, Kawa akago are omnivorous.  They look like small, red-skinned babies and remain close to riverbanks, where they call out to passersby, mimicking the sound of crying human babies.

           “When someone follows the sound, the Kawa akago moves farther away, continuing to call as it leads the hapless human further into the river. It will then sneak up on the unsuspecting human and pull their legs out from under them, sending them tumbling into the water.  Legend has it that this was meant as a prank, though people often drowned in this manner.  It has been my clans’ experience that the Kawa akago drowns people on purpose.”

           “How do we trap it?” Mikey asked.

           “You must go into the water to capture the Kawa akago,” Mr. Hidesato said. “The trap coin must be placed inside its mouth when the creature is fully submerged.  This is not a simple task.  The Kawa akago moves well in the water and it is stronger than the average human man.  Warders usually work in pairs to capture the creatures.  Many of the legendary creatures are centered in or near water, so most warders’ train with pearl divers at an early age in order to learn to free dive without oxygen.”

           “For once we’ve got an advantage,” Raph chortled. “Turtles and water go together just fine.”

           “We can still drown Raph,” Leo reminded him. “Don’t get too cocky.”

           “Whatever,” Raph said. “When do we go after this thing?”

           “It will not appear until the sun goes down,” Mr. Hidesato said. “It retreats from light because it relies on being unseen.  Because you look so much like Kappa, it will not call out to you, and unless it cries, you will not know it is there.”

           “Guess we could get Casey to help,” Raph said. “As long as he don’t go into the water, he’ll be safe enough.  This Kawa akago will see him and try to pull its trick and then we can dive in after it.”

           “All of us except Leo,” Don said. “He can keep Casey out of the river and vice versa.  I do not want to redo those stitches.”

           Mr. Hidesato glanced through the window and said, “I must go out and speak to the grounds crew and then attend to some business matters. I will see you at dinnertime.”

           The turtles waited until they heard the sound of the outer door closing behind him before any of them spoke.

           “Why doesn’t he ever go with us on one of these captures?” Mikey asked. “We wouldn’t have to bother Casey if Mr. Hidesato went down to the river with us.”

           “He claims that it’s due to his age,” Leo said.

           “Mr. H moves pretty well when he’s sneaking around here,” Raph said. “I think something happened in the past and he’s lost his nerve.”

           “There’s no point in speculating,” Leo said as he reached for a journal. “Let’s see if we can find an entry for the Kawa akago and make sure Mr. Hidesato didn’t forget anything.”

           “Mikey can get back to scanning so we won’t have to do this kind of search every time we’re faced with a new yokai,” Don said.

           Later that afternoon Raph called Casey and lined him up to assist in their hunt, inviting him to join them for dinner. The pair decided to leave April out of it this time around, as she’d already had a very hectic day.

           Casey arrived just as the food was being placed on the dining table. As they ate, the group went over the history of the creature they were going after and how they planned to capture the Kawa akago.

           There was still time to kill once dinner was over, so Raph, Mikey and Casey retired to the media room to watch some mixed martial arts. Don took some medical supplies from the storage closet in the kitchen and joined Leo upstairs in their bedroom where he would be changing the bandaging on his brother’s leg.

           “I wasn’t completely truthful about that dream,” Leo admitted as Don kneeled next to him and began removing the old wrap from his thigh.

           “Was there more to it than what you told us?” Don asked.

           “Not in the dream itself,” Leo said. “It was more in how I felt about it after I woke up.  There is a different sensation to the dreams that are yokai related.  I’m starting to recognize that feeling.”

           “Why wouldn’t you have shared that with everyone?” Don asked. “Or was it Mr. Hidesato that made you hesitate to say more?”

           “I have a sense that he expects me to recognize and possibly even control my dreams,” Leo said. “I think he wants me to be able to interpret what I’m seeing and use that to our advantage.”

           “He can’t reasonably expect that when you’ve only just realized you’re having prophetic dreams,” Don said. “How long did it take those three other warders to get the hang of their dreams?  Were any of them able to achieve lucid dreaming at the same time?”

           “It’s hard to determine those types of answers from their journals,” Leo said. “None of the chronicles are that precise.  Some warders kept pristine records and seemed to enjoy writing out the story of their hunts in great detail; others were very monosyllabic.  Right after our first capture I made a quick entry in the back of a journal but I didn’t say very much.  I don’t even know which journal it is anymore.”

           “It wouldn’t hurt to write our own journals,” Don said. “We could call them reports and make sure to write down everything.  This is a unique opportunity; where other warders perhaps captured a dozen yokai during their lifetime, we’re going after quite a lot more than that.”

           “You’re assuming there will be someone to read them in the future,” Leo said.

           Don paused in his ministrations. “I’d prefer to think that I’m being prudent.  The warders who wrote those journals probably thought that the creatures they’d captured would stay captured, but they chronicled their adventures anyway.  Whatever the future holds, whatever decision we make, it wouldn’t hurt to keep a record of the things we’re doing here while it’s all still fresh in our heads.”

           “I concede your point,” Leo said with a smile.

           “Good,” Don said, giving Leo’s leg a final pat before standing up. “Want to spend some time goofing off in front of the TV?”

           “Why not? Hopefully Mikey hasn’t started charging admission,” Leo said.

           They joined the other three in the media room where the entire group enjoyed the luxury of leather seats, a large television, and surround sound. Mikey even made popcorn, though what he didn’t eat himself they wound up throwing at each other during a mock popcorn war.

           It was approaching eleven p.m. when Leo stood up and signaled that it was time to leave. After stopping in the office to collect the Kawa akago trap coin and the wax tool, the turtles piled into April’s van and with Casey at the wheel, drove towards East River Park in Brooklyn.

           During the ride Don used his computer to make sure they wouldn’t run into the police. “They cleared the scene around nine,” he reported.  “Taking into consideration news crews and gawkers who’ve had more than two hours to tromp around, we shouldn’t encounter anyone.”

           “Mr. Hidesato said the Kawa akago doesn’t like the light,” Leo said. “It’s probably just now dark enough to make the creature feel comfortable in coming out.  We’ll stay in the van while you walk along the shoreline, Casey.  You’ll wear a headset with an open line to us and as soon as you hear a baby crying, let us know.”

           “Do not go near the water,” Raph admonished his friend. “I mean it; we don’t know if this thing will jump out and grab ya’ if ya’ get too close, so don’t.”

           “Got it,” Casey said, turning into the drive that led into the park. “Walk up and down and wait to hear something crying.”

           “When you do lure it out of hiding, Raph, Mikey, and I will go in after it,” Don said. “Leo is not to go in the water.”

           “Okay,” Casey said. “Don’t go near the water, don’t let Leo near the water.”

           “Don’t act like you’re looking for the creature either,” Mikey said. “It likes to play pranks and pranks are no fun if the victim is expecting it.”

           “Ya’ ought to know,” Raph said. “You’re the expert on pranks.”

           Following Don’s directions, Casey found the area where the police officer had been pulled into the water. He drove past it slowly to ensure that no one was around before turning back and finding a parking spot close to a stand of trees.

           “If the police come by, we’ll bail out and hide in the trees,” Leo said. “Tell them you were curious and then leave.  You can come back for us later and we’ll try again if we can.  If not, we’ll at least be able to prevent anyone else from falling victim to that creature tonight.”

           Don handed a headset to Casey and waited for him to put it on before doing a sound check to make sure it was in working order.

           After Casey climbed out of the van, Raph leaned out of the open passenger window. “Just stroll along looking at the sky and shit, like ya’ ain’t got anything better to do. And remember what I told ya’.”

           “Don’t go near the water,” Casey said. “I heard ya’ the first time.”

           Raph watched his friend walk towards the water and then turned to look at his brothers. “Can I go on record as saying how much I hate having to use Casey as bait?  I know it makes him feel like he’s being useful, but it don’t sit right with me that he might have to do this kind of thing a lot.”

           “You were the one who pointed out that in this situation he’d be our best bet for luring the creature out of hiding,” Don said. “We have a similar problem with these yokai as we do with humans; they see us as turtles rather than prey, or they see the warder brand and avoid us like the plague.”

           “Can we have this moral discussion at another time?” Leo asked. “Right now we need to keep our eyes and ears open.”

           His brothers quieted down. After a few minutes they heard Casey begin humming to himself, either from nerves or boredom, or a combination of both.

           The night was dark, with the crescent moon partly covered by heavy clouds. Though they were parked near where Casey was walking, there were a few spots on his route where he was hidden from view.

           Casey had been strolling for a half an hour when he whispered, “How long do ya’ want me to keep this up? Maybe it moved downriver or something.”

           “I hope it didn’t get spooked by all the cops and decide to take its show on the road,” Raph muttered.

           “Stick with it, Casey. It knows these are good hunting grounds.  It won’t go anywhere,” Leo said.

           “You sound pretty sure of that,” Mikey said.

           “Call it a gut feeling,” Leo told him.

           “You sure it’s your gut and not that dream?” Mikey asked.

           Before Leo could answer him, Casey hissed into his mouthpiece. “I hear a baby.  The sound’s coming from the water.”

           “Stay where ya’ are,” Raph said as he and his brothers scrambled out of the van.

           The turtle brothers could hear what sounded exactly like a baby crying as they approached the water. Apparently their presence did not startle the Kawa akago, because it continued to mimic a baby even when they stepped near the water’s edge.

           As Leo started to walk past him, Casey said, “Whoa there buddy. Ya’ heard what Don said.  The two of us stay out of the water.”

           Leo’s mouth compressed into a thin line to show his displeasure at being sidelined, but he didn’t argue the point. Standing next to Casey, Leo watched his brothers enter the river.

           Patches of weeds stuck up from the water in sections and the crying sound seemed to be coming from somewhere within them. Moving slowly towards the sound, the three turtles encountered a slight drop off that took them from ankle deep water into water that was up to their knees.

           Rather than getting closer to the yokai, the crying sound seemed to retreat from them the farther into the water they went. With a hand motion, Raph signaled to Don and Mikey that they should spread out and try to surround the Kawa akago.

           What happened next was so sudden it took all of them by surprise. Something grabbed hold of Donatello’s ankles and dragged him under water.

           “Donny!” Raph shouted before taking a deep breath and diving under the surface. The water was murky, making it difficult to see anything, but Raph could just make out Mikey swimming farther out into the river.

           With a burst of speed, Raph swam after him, hoping that Mikey had seen where the Kawa akago had taken Don. He also hoped that Don had managed to take some air into his lungs before being yanked beneath the water’s surface.

           They had reached a much deeper part of the river when Raph saw Mikey point at something below them. Looking where Mikey had indicated, Raph could just make out a turtle shaped form amidst the junk that littered the bottom of the river.

           Forgetting about the Kawa akago, Raph and Mikey swam towards Don. When they got close, they saw that his body had been wedged through the window of a submerged car.  He was wiggling and pushing against the metal frame with his one free arm, trying to dislodge his body, but he was stuck tight.

           Grabbing onto Don’s legs, Raph tried pulling his brother free. He couldn’t get any leverage because the car was on its side and Don was too high off the river bottom.  Seeing his dilemma, Mikey swam downwards until he could plant his feet on the muddy ground.  Wrapping his arms around Raph’s legs, Mikey anchored his brother and then leaned back, using his weight to help Raph pull Don loose.

           They had barely started to tug on Don when a dark streak shot through the water and plowed directly into Mikey’s legs. Mikey’s knees buckled and the yokai grabbed one of his legs to try and pull him away from his brothers.

           It was only Mikey’s solid hold on Raph’s legs that kept the Kawa akago from swimming off with him. Mikey kicked at its head and when the creature sped away, Mikey let go of Raph in order to swim up to try a different tactic to free Don.

           Using his nunchucks, Mikey pounded on the windshield until it buckled and pulled away from the rubber seal that held it in place. Shoving the windshield aside, Mikey swam into the car as far as he safely could and began pushing against Don’s shoulders while Raph tugged on him.

           Don’s eyes were starting to bug out, his expression showing panic. The sudden dunking had clearly kept him from taking in extra oxygen, and his struggles had depleted what little he’d stored in his lungs.

           Raph could tell from the way Mikey’s legs were churning the water that his youngest brother had doubled his efforts to free Don. That could only mean that he was becoming anxious over Don’s condition.  If they couldn’t yank Don out of the window Raph would just take off the entire car door and bring it, along with his brother, up to the surface.

           Before Raph could make a move, the Kawa akago shot out of the watery darkness and seized his leg. Releasing Don, Raph yanked a sai from his belt and twisted around to bring the pommel down on the creature’s head.

           The Kawa akago let go of Raph and was off in a flash, putting distance between itself and the turtle. It was clear to Raph then that the Kawa akago was not going to allow them to release its victim.  Every time they turned their attention to Don’s plight, the creature was going to try to add either he or Mikey to its collection of drowning victims.

           Mikey had backed out of the car to check on Raph. When Raph swam back to Don, he saw Mikey gesturing frantically and knew they were running out of time.

           Then Raph saw a red blur sweeping towards Mikey and pointed behind his brother. Trained to act in an instant, Mikey shot upwards, his sudden burst of speed surprising the Kawa akago, who passed directly beneath him.

           They weren’t going to outswim the thing. They didn’t have the time to waste even if they could.  Don had stopped struggling and gone limp, yet each time they tried to free him, the Kawa akago attacked them.

           All of that flashed through Raph’s brain in an instant. If he didn’t do something quickly, Donny was going to die.

           He saw Mikey coming back down again, making directly for his trapped brother. Raph knew he only had seconds to try to come up with a plan before the creature attacked once more.

           It was then he remembered that hitting the Kawa akago with his sai had caused it enough pain to drive it off. If the thing wasn’t immune to pain, then Raph intended to teach it a lesson about messing with a ninja.

           Swimming towards the car, Raph kicked his legs enticingly and pretended that his focus was on his brothers. He kept one hand near the weapon in his belt and watched for movement from the corners of his eyes.

           Sure enough, a streak of red burst through the murky darkness, making straight for Raph’s legs. Timing the thing’s movement, Raph let the Kawa akago’s grasping hands get within inches of his ankles before tucking his knees up to his chest and rolling over.

           As soon as his body was upside down, Raph kicked out with his legs and slammed into the Kawa akago. The force of Raph’s heavy body drove the creature to the river bottom hard enough for the impact to send mud swirling.

           Raph kept going downwards, a sai in one hand. The Kawa akago saw him coming and pushed itself into a standing position, its hands reaching up to claw at the water in an attempt to swim away from the rampaging turtle.

           Just as it began to rise, Raph reached out and drove his sai through the creature’s foot with enough power to pin it to the river bottom. Raph’s free hand swept into a pocket in his belt as the Kawa akago’s mouth opened in a silent cry of pain.

           Raph swiftly shoved the trap coin into the creature’s maw. A look of terror replaced its previously mischievous expression and then the Kawa akago began to turn translucent.

           As its color faded, the water started to churn. Backing away, Raph watched the swirling water turn into a miniature whirlpool that slowly drained away into the center of the trap coin.

           Snatching the coin from the bottom of the river once the Kawa akago was inside, Raph swam rapidly back to where Don was trapped. He saw that Mikey was again inside the car, once more attempting to shove against Don in the hopes of freeing him.

           While he swam towards them, Raph’s eyes raked over the car door and Don’s body. A thought struck him then, one he hoped would work quickly.

           Floating up next to Don, Raph rapped on the car to get Mikey’s attention. When his brother backed out enough to see him, Raph pointed at Don’s bō staff and then lifted his hand several times.

           Mikey’s eyes widened in sudden understanding and he nodded. Ducking back into the car, his braced himself and then slid a hand under Don’s bō.  On the other end of the bō, Raph did the same thing and then tapped on the car one more time.

           Together the brothers pushed upwards on Don’s bō as hard as they could. For a second nothing happened, though both turtles were giving it everything they had.

           Then they heard a crackling sound and the bō staff bent slightly. Maintaining the pressure on the staff, the pair leaned into it and were rewarded by a sudden snap as the bō broke in half.

           They each yanked their broken halves out of the way. Removing the staff had given them a little over an inch of extra space and loosened Don enough so that when Raph pulled and Mikey pushed on him, their brother slid free.

           Raph’s hand was clenched tightly around the coin, but he could feel something start to move. When Mikey swam up next to him, Raph pointed at the wax tool in his belt.  Mikey quickly removed the tool and Raph handed the coin to him just as the center began to swirl again.

           Gripping Don tightly, Raph swam for the surface, leaving it to Mikey to seal the coin. Don was limp in his arms and all Raph could do was to think repeatedly, _“Hold on, Donny. Hold on.”_

           On the shore, Casey paced back and forth. Leo stood in the same spot he’d been in when his brothers had entered the water, his eyes almost unblinking as he stared into the river.

           “That’s it,” Leo finally snapped, “it’s been too long. I’m going in.”

           He started forward and Casey froze, unsure as to whether he should stop him or dive in too.

           Leo was just at the water’s edge when Raph surfaced with Don slung over one shoulder. Seeing Leo on the verge of entering the water, Raph yelled, “Stay there, Leo!  Casey, I need your help!”

           Casey ran past Leo, trudging through the water until he met up with Raph. Together they carried Don to the shore, where Leo waited to help them with their unconscious burden.

           Laying Donatello on the ground, Leo knelt next to him and began chest compressions, counting to fifteen before listening for breathing. Hearing nothing, Leo covered Don’s nostrils and began mouth to mouth resuscitation.

           Raph fell to his knees, gasping from his exertions. Mikey collapsed next to him, though neither took their eyes off of Don.

           Once more Leo stopped to listen. Shaking his head, he interlaced his hands and went back to pushing on Don’s chest, all the while murmuring, “Come on, Donny; breathe.”

           “Don’t ya do this to us Donny,” Raph said, his voice breaking.

           Almost as if he’d heard them, Don’s body jerked. Moving his hands, Leo gripped his brother’s shoulder and rolled him onto his side just as Don convulsed into violent coughing.

           Water sprayed out of his mouth as he continued to hack, drawing in wheezing breaths between each racking cough. Leo gently patted his shell, the relief on his face clear.

           Raph and Mikey slung their arms around each other, unable to say anything as they watched Don start to breathe easier. Finally he rolled back over again and stared up at the sky before his gaze swept around to find his brothers and Casey.

           “Donny?” Leo asked.

           “I’m okay,” Don said. He glanced at Leo’s thigh and then back up again.  “You didn’t get your stitches wet, did you?”

           When everyone started to laugh, Don’s brow furrowed and he tried to sit up. Leo helped him, though he was still laughing.

           “What’s so funny?” Don asked. “Do you really think I want to fix that wound again?”

           “Ya’ almost drowned genius,” Raph said. “Ya’ weren’t breathing for a couple of minutes there and all ya’ can worry about is some damned stitches?”

           “Did we capture the Kawa akago?” Don asked as his brothers assisted him in standing.

           Mikey lifted the coin, its center sealed in wax. “It’s right in here, where it belongs.”

           “Let’s get back to HQ and take a hot shower,” Raph said. “I’ve had more than enough of swimming to last me a while.”

           Leo wrapped an arm around Don as the group started back to the van, keeping Don at their center. After a couple of minutes he began to feel as though something was off, and then realized what he was missing.

           “Guys, where is my bō staff?”

 

End Kawa akago


	7. Night of the Jubokko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 7,021  
> Rated: R 2k3 mild adult content, language

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~This frightening preview image was created for this story by AlessandraDC on DeviantArt.  
>   
> 

            “Where are we going, Brad?” the girl asked.

            “It’s a special place, Sarah.  My cousin told me about it,” Brad answered.

            He pulled Sarah along, leading her off the designated walking path and into the undergrowth.  There was a very faint trail; one Brad couldn’t have seen this late at night if not for the light on his cell phone.

            “We’re going to get caught,” Sarah whispered.  “There are more cops patrolling the park now because of the people who’ve gone missing.”

            “They won’t find us where we’re headed,” Brad assured her.  “Trust me, you’ll want to see this.”

            Sarah clung to her boyfriend’s hand and followed in his footsteps, ducking beneath low branches and skirting thick bushes.  It took a few minutes, but soon they stepped into a small clearing.

            In the center of an expanse of lush green grass was a single tree.  The moonlight shone on it, highlighting its oddly formed branches.

            A few whitish colored stones were scattered beneath the tree, but other than that, the thick grass and seclusion was very inviting.

            “They call this the ‘make out tree’,” Brad said, his mouth close to Sarah’s head.  “This is where lovers go to promise themselves to each other.”

            “Lovers, huh?  Is this why you brought me out here, Bradley?” Sarah asked, her manner teasing.

            Sliding his arms around the girl, Brad said, “You’ve got to admit, between your parents and mine, it’s hard to get some alone time.”

            Setting her hands on his hips, Sarah leaned in, inviting the boy to kiss her.  After a couple of minutes, the kiss grew more feverish and when their lips separated, they were both panting.

            Touching his forehead to Sarah’s, Brad said, “I just can’t wait anymore, baby.  I need to be with you in every way.”

            Sarah closed her eyes and nodded.  Without another word, Brad pulled her towards a particularly attractive section of grass, close to the tree.

            They sat on the grass and Brad rolled onto his hip next to Sarah, taking her into his arms again and kissing her.  When she relaxed into the kiss, he pushed her onto her back and began to unbutton her shirt.

            Cool air hit Sarah’s bare skin.  Brad’s lips moved to her jawline, then to her neck.  She clung to his shoulders, watching as his kissed his way down to her chest and then closed her eyes.

            When his mouth found her breast, Sarah gasped and tilted her head back, arching into his touch.  The new sensation made her spine tingle, and Sarah opened her eyes in surprise.

            Her gaze fell on the trunk of the tree and she noticed a sticky red substance running out of an opening in its center.

            “Brad. _Brad_ ,” Sarah said, pushing at his shoulders.

            Reluctantly lifting his head, Brad said, “Don’t stop now, baby.”

            “No.  Look.  What is that?” Sarah asked, twisting her upper body so that she could point at the tree.

            Brad glanced at it and then back down at his girlfriend’s breasts.  “Just sap.  It won’t get on us.”

            It was obvious he wasn’t really looking.  Sarah wiggled out from under Brad, rolling over and putting her hand down for leverage.  When her hand hit one of the rocks, it turned over in the soil.

            Instead of a rock, the girl found herself staring at a human skull.

            Sarah screamed, scrambling away from the head.

            “What the hell . . . ?” Brad exclaimed, staring around at the human remains that had begun to pop up out of the ground.

            “Go, we have to go!” Sarah yelled, jumping to her feet.  A shadow moved across the grass and caused her to look up.

            Several jagged, finger-like tree branches whipped downwards, wrapped around her body and snatched her off the ground.

            _“Ahhhhh!”_

            Leonardo woke with a start, his heart hammering in his chest.  The girl’s scream echoed in his head, making it ache.

            “Mpff, Leo?” Raph asked sleepily.  “What’s wrong?”

            “Nothing,” Leo answered, his voice shaky.  “Go back to sleep.”

            “Bullshit,” Raph said, sounding more alert.  “Tell me the truth.  Ya’ had another dream didn’t ya’?”

            Seeing no point in dissembling, Leo said, “Yes.  It was . . . different though.”

            “Different how?” Raph asked.

            Leo described the dream, going into as much detail as he could remember.  He finished by saying, “My previous dreams have all been more personal.  In this one I felt like I was watching a horror movie, only I was on the inside.”

            “Come here,” Raph said, sliding an arm under Leo’s carapace to draw his brother closer.

            For a moment Raph just held him and Leo relished the tenderness.  It was rare for Raph to show the gentle, caring side of his nature.  It usually only happened very early in the morning like this, when they were sharing a bed.

            “Ya’ think this was really one of those, what’d Mr. H call them, prophetic dreams?” Raph asked.  “Big change from those confusing ones ya’ were having before.”

            “Don was certain it would take time for me to learn to interpret my dreams,” Leo said.  “This might not have been one of the prophetic kind.  It was too specific.”

            “Specific enough for Donny to do some research,” Raph said, and then stressed, “in the _morning_.”

            “But if we could locate it now . . . .” Leo began.

            “Unless ya’ got super speed, that ain’t gonna happen.  It’s too close to daylight,” Raph reminded him.  “I don’t intend to take over as the practical one, Leonardo.  That’s your job.”

            Leo sighed in resignation, relaxing into Raph’s hold.  “You’re right.  There’s no point in going off half-cocked.  We can examine my dream tomorrow.”

            “After we swing by the lair and grab Don’s spare bō staff,” Raph said, chuckling.  “He’s a little ticked off at losing the first one.”

            “He’ll get over it,” Leo said, nuzzling into Raph’s shoulder.

            Raph’s lips brushed the top of Leo’s head.  “Now go back to sleep.”

            Closing his eyes, Leo let the sound of Raph’s heartbeat relax him even further.  He replayed the events of the night in his head, remembering how helpless he’d felt standing on the riverbank as his brothers fought the Kawa akago.

            Donatello had very nearly drowned.  There was a lesson to be learned from that experience.  Every one of the legendary creatures was dangerous.  Every one of them had the potential to be deadly.

            Mr. Hidesato hadn’t been there to receive the trap coin from them upon their return.  He had waited up for them on their previous five missions, greeting them as soon as they entered the house.  Perhaps he had taken it for granted that this capture would be routine and that he wouldn’t be needed.

            Sleep finally returned and Leo let the remainder of his concerns drift away in the soothing mists of unconsciousness.

            Since they had to swing by the lair to retrieve Don’s backup bō staff, the turtles met at mid-morning in the kitchen.  Preparing brunch for themselves and Master Splinter, they packed up the food and exited the house through the secret passageway in the basement.

            Mr. Hidesato had not appeared and they did not find a note from him.  They had seen on the chalkboard in the kitchen that the housecleaning staff would arrive after noon.  It was a good time to be away from the house.

            Master Splinter was sweeping the kitchen when his sons arrived.  He greeted them warmly, accepting hugs from each of the brothers.  Though they communicated with him daily, it was easy to read the relieved expression on his face at seeing them in person.

            “How is your leg?” Master Splinter asked Leo as Mikey and Raph began unpacking the food.

            “Healing nicely,” Leo said.  “Don did a good job patching me up.”

            “As usual,” Raph added, glancing up as Don joined them.

            Spinning his bō staff, Don settled it into place on his shell and said, “Saying nice things about me doesn’t get you off the hook for busting my other bō.”

            “Then next time don’t get your ass trapped underwater,” Raph retorted.

            “Perhaps the four of you will enlighten me on the details of this last adventure while we eat,” Master Splinter requested.

            They served themselves buffet style and sat down at the table to enjoy their meal.  Taking turns, the brothers shared the specifics of their hunt for the Kawa akago.

            Master Splinter nodded as they reached the end of their recap.  “It would be best to remember that each of these creatures warranted capture and confinement for a reason.  None of them should be taken lightly.”

            “We’re doing our best to learn all we can about them before we go on a hunt,” Don said.

            “And that ain’t easy considering most of our info comes from the old warder journals,” Raph said.  “Mr. H hasn’t been all that helpful.”

            “He might be doing the best he can,” Mikey said.  “I think sometimes he’s just in a hurry to send us after these things ‘cause he thinks we might miss our chance to catch them.”

            “We’ll miss our chance if we get killed,” Raph said.  “Why are ya’ defending the guy?  If he’d gone with us as bait last night instead of Casey he could’ve done something that would have kept that yokai from nearly drowning Donny.  Yesterday ya’ were the one questioning why he don’t go on these hunts with us.”

            “Well I’ve had time to think about it,” Mikey said.  “I watch his face when he’s talking to us about these creatures.  He works hard to keep from showing any emotion, but his body language tells a story.  I think something happened during a hunt and now he can’t do it anymore.”

            “Do you mean something like he was hurt?” Don asked.  “Or watched someone else get hurt?”

            Mikey shrugged.  “I don’t know.  But he was quick to reimburse Casey for the fire gear that got wrecked when we took down the Itsumade.  Nobody asked or expected him to do that.  I’m just saying maybe we should cut him a little bit of a break.”

            “I’ll cut him a break when I know he ain’t trying to hide stuff from us,” Raph said.  “Why’s he keep putting the journals away every time we take ‘em out?  Why did Don have to practically chase him down to get a detailed tour of the house and security systems?  And what’s the deal with the warders who’ve had those prophetic dreams?”

            “Mr. H does talk as though he doesn’t know much about them,” Don said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.  “He seems to expect Leo to understand his and control them without any guidance.”

            “Speaking of which, this is a good time to tell them about the one ya’ had last night,” Raph said, looking at Leo.

            Leo took a sip of water and commenced telling his family about his latest dream.  He went into as much detail as possible, knowing it would aid them in trying to determine if it was yokai related.

            “The girl in your dream said that people had gone missing in the park,” Don said.  “That’s something we can verify with a quick internet search.”

            “You can do that here, right?” Raph asked.

            “I can but we’ll need to go back to HQ to research what this creature might be,” Don said.

            “If it turns out that it is one, HQ is where we’ll learn how to capture it,” Mikey said.  “It’ll be in the journals or Mr. H will know.”

            “Let’s try the journals first,” Raph said.

            “You do not trust Mr. Hidesato,” Master Splinter said.  “Do you believe that he means you harm?”

            Raph paused to think about that.  “I don’t think he purposely means for us to get hurt,” Raph said slowly.  “I think it’s more like what Mikey said, he’s in a damn hurry to catch these creatures and ain’t taking the time to make sure we’re prepared.”

            “Then it is up to the four of you to determine if you are ready for each challenge that presents itself,” Master Splinter said.  “Follow your instincts.  If you do not think you have the information necessary to complete a task with a reasonable amount of safety, then do not go forth.”

            “That’ll sure give Mr. H fits,” Mikey said.

            “To hell with him then,” Raph said.

            “Raphael,” Master Splinter scolded.

            “Sorry, Sensei.  It’s just that every time I think of how easy it was for him to throw Casey to the wolves it pi . . . hacks me off,” Raph said.

            “Do not let that anger control you,” Master Splinter warned.  “Your intuition is very acute, but it can be dulled by rage.  Your brothers need for you to be at your sharpest.”

            “I won’t let them down,” Raph said.  “I’m just blowing off steam.”

            “Let’s put some of that excess energy that I’m sure we all have to good use,” Leo said, standing up.  “Just because Mr. Hidesato has a crew cleaning HQ doesn’t mean we don’t still have responsibilities.  I’m sure Master Splinter would like a hand with the sweeping and dusting.”

            “I’ll take care of the kitchen,” Mikey said without his usual protests regarding chores.

            “Good.  Perhaps after the lair is clean you boys will join me in the dojo for a short workout,” Master Splinter said.  “Meet me there when you are finished.”

            After Master Splinter left them, Don walked over to where Leo was standing and in a low voice asked, “Do you think he’s been lonely without us here?”

            “He says not, but I think our being away so much does bother him,” Leo said.  “We should make it a point to be home every couple of days.”

            Raph moved in close to them after retrieving the broom.  “Maybe we should get him to come stay at HQ with us.  There’s plenty of room.  I know ya’ told Mr. H that Father would rather be at home, but I think he’s just sitting around here worrying.”

            “I’ll speak to him about it after practice,” Leo said.  “Mr. Hidesato might be more forthcoming with someone nearer his age.”

            “Sensei could probably tell from just looking at Mr. H if he’s holding out on us,” Raph said.

            “Donny, we’ll take care of the cleaning,” Leo said.  “You start checking to see if there are reports of missing persons from the Central Park area.  Learn everything you can.”

            “On it,” Don said, trotting off with his laptop to his primary work area.

            The turtles spent over an hour taking care of various chores around the lair, then met in the dojo to practice with Master Splinter.  Before they began, Leo shot a questioning look in Don’s direction and received a nod in return.

            Leo was an expert at compartmentalizing, but the knowledge that there was validity to what he’d experienced in his dream kept trying to interfere with his focus.  It took a conscious effort on his part to push his thoughts to the side as he worked out.

            Since he still had to take care not to pull his stitches loose, Leo had an opportunity to speak to his father while his brothers were sparring.

            “We were wondering if you’d like to move in to Mr. Hidesato’s with us,” Leo said.  “It may take us a long time to capture all of the creatures that escaped.  He already extended the invitation and it would ease our minds to know you were safe and comfortable.”

            “I am both safe and comfortable here in our home,” Master Splinter said.  “I know you are concerned about me, Leonardo.  It would certainly ease my mind to see you all every day, but as I grow older I become more set in my ways.  There are two things you can do for me though.”

            “Anything Master Splinter,” Leo replied.

            “Leave a map here which shows the way through the sewers to Mr. Hidesato’s house,” Master Splinter said.  “If you need me or if I feel that you might, I want to be able to find you quickly.”

            “I’ll have Don make a map for you that includes the security key code which gives you access to the secret tunnel,” Leo said.  “What is the second thing?”

            “Be careful, my son.  Look out for your brothers and allow them to look out for you,” Master Splinter said.

            “I will, Sensei.  Of course,” Leo said.

            Since it was nearly two in the afternoon by the time they finished their practice session, the family had a late lunch of leftovers and sandwiches.  Soon after they’d eaten, Master Splinter bid them good-bye and went to his room for meditation.

            The brothers didn’t leave right away.  Mikey and Raph busied themselves with preparing a couple of meals to leave in the refrigerator for their father, while Leo and Don sat at the kitchen table to review what Don’s research had turned up.

            “In the last week, three young couples have gone missing from the vicinity of the park,” Don said.  “Family and witnesses can only put one couple directly in Central Park, but it’s a safe bet based on other witness statements and your dream that they all disappeared from the park.”

            “Does that include the couple I saw in my dream last night?” Leo asked.

            Don shook his head.  “If someone has noticed they’re missing, it hasn’t shown up on any news outlet and I can’t find that a missing persons’ report has been filed.”

            “Isn’t there like a waiting period before the cops will let ya’ report someone as missing?” Raph asked.

            “Only in television shows,” Don said.  “The police will take those reports as soon as the person has vanished.  According to what Leo heard the young couple say, they probably live with their parents.  If they didn’t come home, surely an alert would have gone out by now.”

            Mikey paused in his food prep to say, “So either Leo’s dream was wrong, or what he saw hasn’t happened yet.”

            “All of my dreams have foretold a future event, but not like this,” Leo said.

            “Your first dream wasn’t prophetic, it was about the Dodomeki and happened after we captured her,” Don reminded him.

            “So maybe that was the activating dream,” Raph said.  “Ya’ know, the one that gets the future sight juices flowing.”

            “That’s as good an explanation an any,” Leo said.

            “It’s possible your dreams are evolving,” Don said.  “Was that the case with any of the three warders who also had prophetic dreams?”

            “Not from what I read in the journals,” Leo answered.  “The dreams were either vague, distorted, with accompanying physical sensations, or they were specific and detailed, but not personal.  No warder had both types of prophetic dream.”

            “None of them warders were mutant turtles either,” Raph said flatly.  “That kind of makes this a whole new ball game.  I say we take advantage of this advance information.”

            “I agree with Raph,” Leo said.  “Let’s finish up here and get back to HQ.  With what I saw in my dream, we should be able to identify the creature.  Based on the position of the moon, I have a pretty good idea of what time of night it was when the couple was attacked.”

            “If they’re meant to show up tonight, we can scare them off,” Mikey said.  “Only problem is that Central Park is . . . how big did you tell us it was, Donny?”

            “Eight hundred and forty-three acres of landscaped beauty in the center of the city,” Don said.

            “Yeah, should be easy to find a killer tree in a couple of hours,” Raph said, his voice heavy with sarcasm.

            Leo stood up and moved over to the sink to begin washing the dishes they’d used.  Mikey was putting food into containers so that Raph could transfer them to the refrigerator.  While those three finished up in the kitchen, Don took a load of trash out of the lair and up to a dumpster in an alley close to their home.

            Once they had Master Splinter set for a couple of days without them and Don had provided him with the promised map, the brothers took their shell sleds back to Mr. Hidesato’s house.

            Because they had no idea how long the cleaning crew needed to be in the house, the turtles didn’t come up from the basement until Don had checked the security cameras.

            The house was empty.  No cleaning crew and no Mr. Hidesato either.

            Checking the office desk, Mikey said, “He must have come back while we were gone ‘cause now there’s a note from him here.”

            Opening the folded sheet of embossed stationary, Mikey read, _“Warders, I have been called away on business. I do not anticipate being gone from the house for more than one night.”_

            When he stopped reading, Raph said, “Is that it?  That’s all he says?”

            Mikey held the note up for him to see.  “That’s it.  Two sentences.”

            “Do you suppose he took his shell cell with him?” Don asked.

            “There’s only one way to find out,” Leo said.  “Call him, Donny.”

            Don already had his shell cell open.  “It’s ringing.”

            Just as he said that, the sound of a ringing phone was heard inside the room.  Mikey walked around to the front of the desk and opened one of the drawers.

            “It sure is,” Mikey said, lifting Mr. Hidesato’s shell cell out of the drawer.

            “Ain’t that some shit,” Raph said with disgust.  “He bitches at us about being out of touch, and he goes off and doesn’t even take his phone.  Still gonna defend him, Mikey?”

            “Maybe he doesn’t want us to track him down at his girlfriend’s,” Mikey said.

            Raph scoffed at him.  “Let me know when you’re ready for a reality check.”

            “We’re going to have to discover which yokai this is on our own,” Leo said with finality, putting an end to their argument.  “Skim through the journals and look for the key word ‘tree’.  Don, I don’t know how many journals Mikey scanned into the computer, but could you do a quick word search?”

            “Shouldn’t take but a minute,” Don said.  “I’ll be right back.”

            Unlocking the war room entry with the key that Mr. Hidesato had hidden in a book, Don disappeared inside.  His brothers each grabbed a journal from the bookshelves and began searching through the pages.

            True to his word, Don returned quickly.  “The information isn’t in the computer yet.  Don’t bother looking in the journals with a yellow sticky note attached to them; those are the ones Mikey already scanned.”

            He didn’t wait for a response.  Going to the bookshelves, Don chose a handful of books and sat down on the couch next to Raph to read them.

            Because he was a speed reader, Don got through two journals to each one his brothers managed.  It was just short of an hour when Don called out, “I’ve got it.”

            Raph shut his journal with a sigh of relief.  “Good.  What are we tackling this time?”

            “It’s called a Jubokko,” Don said.  “Outwardly, they look like ordinary trees, indistinguishable from the various species you normally find in a region.  It’s only when someone is paying attention that they’ll notice that the branches have more frightening aspect to them, or that there are human bones buried beneath the tree.”

            “In my dream, the bones looked like white rocks,” Leo said.  “The blood flowing from an opening in its trunk wasn’t visible until the couple were right under the tree branches.”

            “Jubokko are usually found in battlefields or places where mass deaths have occurred,” Don said.  “It feeds on blood.  It’s the blood that transforms the tree into a yokai.”

            “So how did a tree in the middle of Central Park get transformed?” Mikey asked.  “Is there some battleground that I haven’t heard of?”

            Don shook his head.  “No, but I can make an educated guess as to what drew the yokai to that particular tree.  Didn’t the young couple in your dream call it the ‘make out tree’, Leo?”

            “Yes they did,” Leo said.  “Everyone who’s gone missing were couples.”

            “Then we have to surmise that those couples who meet under that tree go there to have sex,” Don said.  “Blood has probably been spilled on that spot on more than one occasion.”

            His brothers were giving him odd looks, clearly not understanding what he was telling them.

            Clearing his throat, Don said, “You know, _virgin_ blood.”

            “Oh~h,” Mikey hummed while Leo and Raph grimaced.

            “So what’s the tree do, scoop ya’ up with its branches and eat ya’?” Raph asked.

            “Close.  It hoists its victims up into its boughs and then the jagged branches pierce the victim’s skin and suck out all of their blood.  After the body is completely drained, the tree drops it on the ground.  The journal doesn’t say what happens to those remains, but a reasonable hypothesis would be that birds, insects, and other small animals consume them until all that’s left are bones,” Don said.

            “How do we capture the yokai if it’s inhabiting a real tree?” Leo asked.

            Don ran his finger down the journal page, flipping it over to peruse the other side.  “The opening in the trunk is where the trap coin has to go.  Blood feeds the yokai and the blood is stored there.  The trap coin pulls the blood from the tree and the yokai follows it.”

            “That’s totally gross,” Mikey said, looking disgusted.

            “I guess the trick is getting the coin past those deadly branches,” Leo said.  He thought for a minute.  “Maybe we could distract the yokai’s attention with a decoy.”

            “Not Casey,” Raph said darkly.

            “No, of course not,” Leo said, giving his brother a wry look.  “I was thinking blood.”

            “I’m almost afraid to ask,” Raph said.  “What the hell are ya’ talking about?”

            “We could slip into a blood bank and take a few bags,” Leo said.  “If we rig up a remote controlled toy truck to carry a small dummy stuffed with the blood and drive it under the tree, the yokai might go for it.  All I need is a second or two to run up close enough to toss the coin into the opening.”

            “Why you?” Mikey asked.  “I think we’ve already established that I’m the fastest.”

            “I’m fast enough and I’m stealthier,” Leo said.

            “It senses blood, Leo.  Stealth isn’t as important as speed is with this thing,” Don told him.

            “Mikey gets the coin,” Raph said with finality.  “He’s fast and he ain’t sporting stitches in one of his legs.  We’ll back him up in case the damn thing ain’t fooled by this contraption ya’ just dreamed up.”

            As much as Leo hated to do it, he had to concede their points.  “All right.  What time does the nearest blood bank close, Don?”

            “Hang on,” Don said as he checked for the information on his laptop.  “They close at seven.  Sunset is around seven fifteen.  What time do you think the attack in your dream occurred?”

            “Right around midnight,” Leo said.  “If we slip in and get the blood at eight, that will give us almost four hours to set up the decoy and find the tree.”

            “That’s something I can work on now,” Don said.  “I can use satellite imagery and plug in the coordinates for Central Park.  By zooming in, I should be able to do a grid search for the tree.  Your description was pretty detailed, Leo.”

            “You’ll only have a couple of hours before we have to hit the blood bank,” Raph said.  “Can ya’ search eight hundred and forty-three acres in that time?”

            “And build the decoy that will carry the bagged blood?” Leo asked.

            “Oh wait, let me pull another miracle out of my shell,” Don said with a hint of acerbity.

            Raph grinned.  “At least we ain’t asking ya’ to pull one out of your a . . . .”

            “I’ll bet we can help with those jobs, if you’ll tell us what to do,” Leo said.

            “Mikey’s good at working a joystick, so he can search the park once I get him set up,” Don said.  “If you guys could go back to the lair and grab a few things from my work area, I can get started on the decoy.”

            “Give us the list,” Raph said as he stood up.  “I’m sure Master Splinter will be surprised to see us pop in on him again so soon.”

            “I kinda doubt anything we do surprises him,” Mikey said with a laugh.

            It was after eight o’clock that night before the turtles were ready to leave HQ.  Rigging up a dummy that could hold at least four bags of blood without tipping the toy truck over was tricky.  In order to balance the dummy, it had to be about the size of a four year old child.

            When Leo and Raph rejoined their brothers after sneaking into the blood bank, Leo said, “I feel terrible about taking this.  I hope they won’t need it.”

            “It was your idea,” Raph said.

            Don placed the bags into his duffel and said, “It’s a good trade-off, Leo.  This blood is meant to save lives and that’s what we’re going to do with it.”

            Maneuvering through the sewers in order to reach their chosen point of entry into the park took a while.  Leaving their shell sleds in a sewer cross junction, the brothers carried the parts for the decoy with them up an incline to an access grate beneath one of Central Park’s bridges.

            “What time is it?” Leo asked.

            “Nine-thirty,” Don said.

            Voices carried through to them as people walked by on a path that ran right next to the access grate.  The turtles backed away to avoid being inadvertently seen.

            “Shit,” Raph hissed.  “Ya’ sure ya’ found the right place, Mikey?  We’re gonna play hell getting out of here and across fifty yards of open terrain without being seen by someone.”

            “I’m sure,” Mikey said.  “I even zoomed in on the spot.  It fits Leo’s description from his dream to a T.”

            “We can’t assemble the decoy until we’re ready to use it,” Don said.  “It’s too bulky to carry while running.”

            “There’s time,” Leo said.  “We can wait for the foot traffic to die down.  I’m more concerned about the police park patrols.  They’ll be watching for anything out of the ordinary.”

            “Yeah, like four giant turtles sneaking through the park,” Mikey said.

            Waiting in the dark for the perfect opportunity to strike an enemy was something that was an integral part of being a ninja.  That didn’t mean that a long period of enforced inactivity was enjoyable.  Don and Mikey passed the time by playing tic-tac-toe on the dirt covered ground.

            Leo remained alert, listening to every voice as people passed their hiding place.  He didn’t know which direction the couple from his dream were going to come from and he wanted an advanced warning if he could get one.

            Raph leaned against a tunnel wall, his arms crossed as he watched Leo.  His father hadn’t needed to tell him to stay sharp.  This whole job of hunting down creatures set his teeth on edge and the strange dreams Leo was starting to have didn’t help.  Maybe they were supposed to be a good thing because they provided much needed clues, but seeing how they were affecting his older brother was a cause for concern.

            Finally Leo stirred.  “Time, Donny?”

            “Eleven twenty-four,” Don replied.

            “It’s been over half an hour since the last person passed,” Leo said.  “Keep an eye out for police.”

            Mikey carried the dummy and Raph scooped up the truck.  When Don had his duffel ready, Leo pulled open the grate and stepped out onto the path.  Looking in both directions to make sure the way was clear, Leo signaled to his brothers.

            Once they were all out of the tunnel, Leo closed the grate just enough to where a casual observer couldn’t tell it had been forced open.  If they had to leave in a hurry, it wouldn’t do to have to fight with rust covered metal.

            The moon was full, just as it had been in Leo’s dream.  There was no one in sight as the turtles surveyed the grass covered expanse they would have to cross in order to reach the shrubbery which hid the Jubokko from sight.

            Mikey went first, staying low as he dashed across the field and into some bushes.  Don followed him, then Raph, and finally Leo.  They encountered no one and once hidden by the thick growth, the brothers began to push their way through to where their target lay.

            Before they reached the clearing they heard voices drawing near.  Leo motioned to his brothers to get down.

            “We’re going to get caught,” Sarah whispered.  “There are more cops patrolling the park now because of the people who’ve gone missing.”

            “They won’t find us where we’re headed,” Brad assured her.  “Trust me, you’ll want to see this.”

            Raph quirked an eye ridge in Leo’s direction and his brother nodded.

            Cupping his hands around his mouth, Mikey shouted in a booming voice, “You two, what are you doing in there!”

            “Shit!” Brad exclaimed.

            There were crashing sounds caused by the pair running through the underbrush.  The turtles saw a flash of color as the couple raced past their hiding places.  Within minutes they were gone.

            “Good job Mikey,” Leo said.

            “It’s a ninja thing,” Mikey replied.

            Don was already pushing through the shrubbery, working his way towards the clearing.  His brothers joined him and the foursome soon stepped into the open.

            The tree and setting was exactly as it had appeared in Leo’s dream.  “This is it,” he said, his voice low.

            “That’s not a spot I’d choose to make out,” Don said.  “That tree is creepy looking.”

            “You aren’t a horny teenager,” Mikey said.  “Oh wait, yes you are.”

            “He ain’t a horny _human_ teenager,” Raph clarified, setting the truck on the ground.  “Let’s get this decoy fixed up.”

            He pulled up the metal rod that Don had welded into the back of the truck and tightened the brace on the hinge.  Mikey affixed the cloth dummy to the rod and Don stuffed the bags of blood inside the dummy, tightly tying the cloth fasteners over the opening so the blood wouldn’t fall out.

            Don took the controller from his duffel and switched it on, testing the connection by moving the truck back and forth.

            “You have the coin, Mikey?” Leo asked.

            “Right here,” Mikey said, bringing the trap coin out of his belt.  “I’ve even picked out my running path.”

            “Don’t put your foot down on any of those ‘stones’,” Leo warned.  “They’re all bones and they’ll turn if you land on one.”

            “The last thing we need is for ya’ to twist an ankle out there,” Raph said.

            “Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Mikey retorted.

            “Go ahead Don,” Leo said.

            Pushing the control toggle forward, Don sent the truck rolling across the ground towards the Jubokko.  As it drew near the base of the tree, Don had to maneuver the truck around roots and bones to avoid capsizing the top heavy toy.

            “This kinda reminds me of that movie ‘Tremors’,” Mikey said with a laugh.  “Only difference is this predator comes down instead of up.  Unless we’re talking about the ass-blasters in Tremors 3.”

            “Shh,” Don cautioned him.  “I’m trying to work here.”

            The words had barely left his mouth when the tree moved.  Several of its branches shot downwards, enveloping the dummy and lifting it off the ground.

            Mikey stood stunned for a moment as needle like protrusions pierced the cloth dummy, seeking the blood bags inside.

            “Go!” Raph yelled, giving his brother a shove.

            Jumping forward, Mikey sprinted towards the tree.  His path led straight for the opening in its trunk.

            He was watching for the branches.  What he wasn’t expecting was that a root would shoot up from the ground and grab at his ankle.

            Mikey saw it just in time.  Springing forward onto his hands, he shot over the root, landing and then dancing away from another one.

            “We gotta distract them!” Raph shouted, running forward, his sai in his hands.

            Leo was right with him, both swords drawn.  It only took a split second for Don to drop his duffel and take off after them.

            A tree branch darted towards Raph, who stabbed at it with his sai.  The branch recoiled and another took its place, until Raph was engaged in a battle to keep them off of him.

            When a root curled up in Donatello’s path, he jammed his bō staff beneath it and popped the root in half.  As he whacked another that came at him, a branch made it past his defenses and grasped the outer edges of his carapace, lifting him from the ground.

            Twirling his staff, Don held the jagged limbs away from his skin, but no matter how hard he hit the branch holding him, it wouldn’t let go.

            “Donny!” Leo exclaimed, sliding to a stop when he saw his brother’s predicament.

            “Stay with Mikey!” Don called.

            The Jubokko seemed to sense the young turtle’s intent.  Roots began to burst from the ground at an alarming rate, each seemingly intent on catching Mikey.

            As fast and agile as he was, Mikey couldn’t dodge the sheer number of roots.  Two of them caught the toes of his right foot, causing him to fall face down in the dirt and drop the trap coin.  Other roots quickly wrapped around his legs.

            Spinning away from roots that were bent on entangling him, Leo leaped to Mikey’s aid.  With both katana, he sliced the roots away from Mikey’s legs and then dropped one of his swords in order to scoop up the trap coin.

            Just as Mikey scrambled to his feet, a branch swept down and grabbed hold of Leo.  He lifted an arm to cut at the branch and another caught his sword hand.

            “Mikey, catch!” Leo shouted, tossing the coin to his brother.

            Already hopping to avoid tree roots, Mikey plucked the coin from the air and turned back towards the tree trunk.  A branch swept down at his head and Mikey ducked under it, whirling like a running back to sidestep roots.

            Raph yelped as branches caught both his arms and yanked him off the ground.  He watched helplessly as Don was hoisted into the tree boughs, hearing his brother cry out as needle-like limbs found his skin.

            Mikey was almost at the trunk opening when a branch snapped to the side, hitting his shoulder with brutal force.

            Feeling the ground go out from under him, Mikey threw the trap coin at the opening as hard as he could.

            For a second, both Mikey and the coin were airborne.  Then Mikey hit the ground and the coin disappeared into the Jubokko’s bloody maw.

            At first, nothing happened.  Mikey lay in the dirt, breathing heavily as he stared at the tree and then realized that none of its roots were trying to ensnare him.

            The branches holding Raph, Leo, and Don slowly unfurled, releasing them.  Don hit the ground with a thud and Raph ran over to him, helping him stand.  There were tiny pin pricks along his arms and legs, but he was otherwise unhurt.

            As Leo pulled Mikey up, the ground under their feet shook and all four turtles stepped back from the tree trunk.  The tree began to shrivel; first its branches, then its roots, and finally the trunk itself.  It was as though all of the moisture was being drained from the tree.

            The blood that had dripped from the opening glistened and then vanished as the trap coin popped out of the trunk opening.

            Raph took the wax tool from his belt and snatched up the coin.  Placing the coin between the tips of the tool, Raph squeezed it shut and began counting.

            “Are you okay, Donny?” Leo asked as his brother picked up his fallen bō staff.

            “I’m fine,” Don said.  “Nothing a few small bandages won’t fix.”

            There wasn’t much left of the tree.  It was dry and dead looking, all of its leaves gone and the remaining roots brittle.

            “We should place an anonymous call to the police and tell them where they can find the people who went missing,” Leo said as they walked away from the tree.  “Their families need the closure.”

            “They’ll probably start a man hunt for a serial killer,” Don said.  “Too bad they’ll never know who the killer really was.”

            “You see guys, this really was like Tremors,” Mikey said, followed by “Ow!” as Raph popped him on the back of the head.

            Their return to HQ was without incidence.  Entering the house, the turtles saw no indication that Mr. Hidesato had returned.

            Taking the coffer from a locked cabinet in the war room, Leo place the Jubokko in its allotted slot and then locked it away again.  As he was doing so, Donatello dug into his duffel bag and removed four thick leather-bound journals.

            “I’ve been saving these and now seems a good time for us to use them,” Don said as he handed one to each of his brothers.  “Leo and I talked and we thought it would be a good idea for all of use to keep a written record of the hunts we’ve been on to capture these creatures.”

            “A more detailed account of what it takes to catch them than we’re finding in the journal library,” Leo said.

            “Keeping a diary ain’t really my thing,” Raph said.  “But somebody has to write down the truth or Mikey will claim to be the hero on every one of our hunts.”

            “You always did have trouble accepting the truth,” Mikey teased.

            They walked out of the war room and found Mr. Hidesato standing near the desk, waiting for them.

 

End Jubokko


	8. Night of the Hari onago

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 8,851  
> Rated: R 2k3 violence/gore, language

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~~This enticing preview image was commissioned from the very talented AlessandraDC  
> 

            Leonardo had taken a step closer to Raphael without realizing it, perhaps subconsciously expecting a violent outburst from his brother.  Raph was certainly not Mr. Hidesato’s biggest fan.

            Instead, his voice heavy with disdain, Raph said, “Nice of ya’ to join us.”

            “Were you out capturing one of the escaped creatures?” Mr. Hidesato asked.

            “Nah, we just got back from a neighborhood block party.  We’re real popular with the ladies,” Raph replied.

            “Leonardo?” Mr. Hidesato asked, looking at the elder turtle.

            “We defeated and captured a Jubokko,” Leo answered.

            “No thanks to _you_ ,” Raph said.

            “I still have a company to run,” Mr. Hidesato said, “and business interests to which I must attend.”

            “I guess that’s more important than making sure we know what the hell it is we’re going up against,” Raph said.  “So maybe one of us dies.  No big deal, right?  I mean, there’s still three to carry on for ya’.”

            “You have the journals,” Mr. Hidesato said, ignoring Raph’s sarcasm.

            Raph snorted derisively.  “Fat lot of good those do us.  There’s more information left out of them than is in them.  That’s supposed to be where ya’ come in.  This is supposed to be the priority.  Ya’ sure as hell keep telling _us_ that capturing creatures is all that matters.”

            “You assured us you would be available to assist us,” Leo said.

            Don said, “I can quote you if you need a reminder.  You said, ‘Unfortunately, you do not have the time to acquire all of the necessary knowledge.  Since I have studied these creatures from the time I was a small child, I will tell you what must be done.’”

            “Kinda hard to tell us what must be done if ya’ ain’t here,” Raph said, glaring at the man.

            “When you said we’d have to learn on the job, we didn’t think that meant we’d be learning on our own,” Mikey said.

            “Do you know what the journal said about the Jubokko?” Leo asked.  “It warned us to beware of the tree’s branches and that the trap coin had to go into the opening in its trunk.  Nowhere in the journal did it mention that the tree’s roots were also a danger.”

            “We got to learn the hard way, just like with the Teke Teke,” Raph said.  “Learning the hard way is what gets ya’ killed.”

            Mr. Hidesato looked around at them, noting that they were a united front.  “Even if one could not see you, it would not be difficult to tell that you are brothers.  Please, trust me when I tell you that my absence was not only unavoidable, but that it was crucial.”

            “See, that ‘trust me’ line, that’s what people say when they can’t be trusted,” Raph said.  “Ya’ ain’t given us one good reason to trust ya’ yet.”

            “You run an antiques business,” Mikey said.  “What was so crucial that somebody else couldn’t handle it?  Did someone break a priceless vase?”

            Perhaps it was the turtles’ growing suspicions, the guarded look that Mr. Hidesato sometimes wore, or the instances where information had been withheld, but Leo was suddenly impatient with the subterfuge.

            “If you will recall, I told you before that I would not risk the lives of my family or friends without assurances that you’d fully uphold your responsibilities to us,” Leo said.  “You aren’t telling us something and we want to know now what that is.  If you don’t satisfy us, we’re leaving.”

           Compressing his lips, Mr. Hidesato appeared to weigh his options.  Finally he turned, walked over to one of the easy chairs, and sat down.

            Waving towards the other seats, he said, “Please, be comfortable.  I do not know what it will take to satisfy you, but it is possible our conversation could last a while.”

            Mikey sat in the chair opposite him while Leo and Don took seats on the couch.  Raph chose not to sit down, instead standing behind Mikey’s chair, his arms crossed.

            Mr. Hidesato glanced at him but said nothing, no doubt realizing that Raph would not relax until he received answers that would fully satisfy him.

            “You may remember my telling you that there are warder clans all over the world,” Mr. Hidesato said, “and that they have their own coffers filled with captured creatures to safeguard.”

            He paused, obviously wanting an acknowledgement of his statement.  Leo said, “We remember your telling us of other warder clans and about how the warder legacy passes from one generation to the next.”

            “There is more,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “The eldest warder in each clan automatically becomes a member of the Warder High Council.  Once each year the representatives attend a summit meeting to discuss any events of note which may have occurred during the previous twelve months.”

            He stopped because Leo, who was not prone to gawking, was doing so.  “How could you suggest we accept this lifelong responsibility knowing full well we could not become High Council members?”

            “It was a detail I was sure we could resolve,” Mr. Hidesato said, sweeping it away with a wave of his hand.  “The High Council membership is secondary at the moment.  What is key here now is that I was called away on Council business.  An emergency video conference meeting of a Council quorum which I was required to attend.”

            “What was the emergency?” Don asked.

            “This situation,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “They have learned that the creatures under my clans’ guardianship have escaped.  I had hoped to recapture the majority of them before the other warder clans became aware of this catastrophe.  If we could have quickly returned the creatures to the coffer, then I could have mitigated the severity of the repercussions.”

            “What kind of repercussions?” Mikey asked.  “What does that even mean?”

            “There’s probably close to a hundred coins in that box,” Raph said.  “How could ya’ possibly think we’d be able to capture them that fast?”

            “I must admit that I was more concerned with protecting the honor of my clan than with the feasibility of clearing up this disaster quickly,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Perhaps if I had notified the Council immediately, I could have sidestepped the call from some of the members that more drastic measures be taken.”

            “Drastic measures?” Leo asked.  “What kind of drastic measures?”

            Mr. Hidesato made a steeple with his fingers and pressed them to his chin.  “The other clans wanted to send their own warders to New York to deal with this situation.  Dozens of warders, all converging on the city at one time.”

            Now all four turtles gaped at him.  It was Raphael who found his voice first.  “What the hell?  There are warders who could have come here and cleaned up this mess?  Ya’ didn’t even need us!”

            “Yes I did,” Mr. Hidesato rushed to say.  “You do not understand.”

            “I certainly don’t,” Don said.  “Why would you choose four untrained ninja to recapture these creatures when there are apparently so many trained and experienced warders willing to travel here to take care of this?”

            “You said ‘wanted to send’ warders,” Leo said, frowning.

            “Yeah,” Mikey said.  “Don’t they still want to?  We could sure use the help since they know what to do.”

            “No,” Mr. Hidesato snapped, straightening in his seat.  “I assured the Council that we have the escape under control.”

            “We don’t!” Raph exclaimed.

            “People are dying,” Leo said quickly, cutting off any further outburst of temper from his brother.  “We are more than willing to take a backseat and offer assistance to other warders.”

            “If these warders come here to take over the hunt, even more people will die,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Every clan follows its own code when it comes to hunting creatures.  The Council does not dictate our rules of engagement, they merely monitor whether the job is getting done.”

            “I thought that warders captured yokai in order to protect people,” Don said.  “How would more die if other clans came here to do that job?”

            “My clan has always made an effort to hold the lives of innocent people in high regard whenever we can,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “For many other clans, the first priority is capturing creatures.  They will do whatever it takes to achieve this goal, including placing unsuspecting people in harm’s way and destroying property in order to drive a yokai out of hiding.  Some have been known to dynamite entire buildings, while others have flooded cities to drain a river where a yokai lurks.  You do not want these people here.”

            “Some of these other clans, are they from Japan as well?” Leo asked.

            “Yes,” Mr. Hidesato answered.  “My family has worked with them in the past.”

            “Are there that many creatures?” Mikey asked.  “Wasn’t your family in charge of them?”

            “There are a great many more yokai than just the ones my clan captured,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “The number of coins a coffer can hold is limited.  Yokai are strong and the bonds created by magic are finite.”

            “How many more?” Mikey asked.

            “Hundreds,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Some have multiples.  Many are created by the yokai themselves, while others come into being because of a strong belief in them.”

            “Remember what I said about Tulpa?  A strong belief by large amounts of people that a creature exists could cause that creature to manifest,” Don said.  “Magic would play a part in that creation.”

            “That is the problem that the Council is concerned about,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “The longer that yokai roam free and people see or experience them, the more people believe in them.  This starts a sequence where captured yokai can be regenerated.  When this happens, the newly created yokai have to be caught.”

            Now it was Don’s turn to frown.  “It could turn an already bad situation into an unbreakable cycle.  How was it overcome in the past?”

            “Because this phenomenon is so much like a virus, the solution employed is very like administering a vaccine,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Inhabitants of villages and towns where the yokai were prevalent were told that the creatures had been captured.  They were made aware of the existence of warders.  Once they believed in us and our ability to contain these creatures, the yokai disappeared.”

            “We certainly can’t do that here,” Don said.  “The likelihood that a large number of people would be knowledgeable enough to connect strange occurrences to yokai is extremely small.  This is a city of nearly nine million people.  If we started to tell a few of them about creatures, the word would spread.  We’d have an epidemic.”

            “Not to mention the fact we couldn’t tell them about us,” Mikey said.

            “That is why we must trap and store these yokai as quickly as possible,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “So what, ya’ fill your coffer and that’s it?” Raph asked.  “Ya’ retire?”

            “Some clans are large enough to maintain more than one coffer,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Ours was not, though we were the best of them.  Most coffers are filled with only a few types of yokai.  The Hidesato clan coffer is the only one containing no duplicate creatures.”

            “Lucky us,” Mikey said.

            “I had to assure the heads of the other clans that they do not need to come to New York,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I told them that I had highly trained warders out collecting the creatures.  It was the only way to hold them back.”

            “Ya’ got highly trained ninjas out collecting creatures,” Raph said, correcting him.  “You’re the only highly trained warder around here and ya’ can’t be bothered to come out with us.”

            “My role now is more one of diplomacy and representation,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “My age . . . .”

            “Sounds like a damn excuse,” Raph broke in.  “Our Father is old and he kicks butt.  Even if ya’ just came out and told us what the hell to look for it’d keep us from getting killed.  But no, you’d rather sit up in this nice comfy house, looking down your nose at us and . . . .”

            Raph’s rant was interrupted by the ringing of his shell cell.  A glance showed him that it was Casey who was calling.

            “What’s up Case?” Raph answered with a touch more impatience than normal.

            Casey’s voice sounded shaky and Raph switched the call to speaker mode.  “ _I was out busting up some Purple Dragon activity when I came across some . . . remains. Raph man, this is some freaking shit!  What’s left of a . . . a person looks like it was torn to shreds.  There’s an arm laying ten feet away from a pile of insides.  It’s gotta be one of those creatures.”_

            “Get away from there,” Raph said.  “Ya’ hear me, Casey?  Get the hell outta there!”

            _“Maybe I can find out what did this_ ,” Casey said.

            “Ya’ ain’t equipped to fight one of those things,” Raph said.  “We don’t know what it is so we ain’t either, but if ya’ don’t move your ass, I’m coming down there to move it for ya’.”

            _“I’m in the Bronx_ ,” Casey said. _“It’ll take ya’ too long, even at this time of morning.”_

            From the corner of his eye Raph saw that Mr. Hidesato was signaling frantically.  When he looked over at the man, Mr. Hidesato said, “Tell Mr. Jones to bring the arm here.”

            “What the hell for?” Raph asked, only half hearing Casey’s arguments as to why he should remain where he was.

            “Just tell him,” Leo said.

            “Casey,” Raph said, ignoring his friend’s babbling.  “Casey!  Mr. H says grab the arm and get your ass over here.”

            _“Ya’ want me to pick the damn thing up?”_ Casey asked, his voice rising an octave. _“It’s a fucking mess!”_

            “Wrap it in something and transport it,” Raph said, irritation in his tone.  “Ain’t like this is the first gory mess ya’ ever saw.”

            _“First one anybody ever asked me to touch,”_ Casey said, hanging up on Raph without another word.

            “He sounds thrilled,” Don said.

            “I guess this means we’re not sleeping yet.  How about I make us a snack?” Mikey asked.  Without waiting for a response, he added, “Pizza in forty minutes.”

            Mr. Hidesato stood up.  “Please pardon me.  I will return when Mr. Jones arrives.”

            He bowed to them and left the room.  The turtles heard him climbing the stairs and by an unspoken agreement, they all went to the kitchen together.

            As Mikey began to take out the ingredients he needed in order to make a pizza, two of his brothers took seats at the kitchen table while Raph paced.

            “You should sit down for a few minutes,” Don told him in a mild tone.  “It’s going to take Casey a while to get here.”

            “I’m too pissed to sit down,” Raph retorted.  Spinning, he aimed a hard glare in Mikey’s direction.  “Don’t ya’ try to defend Mr. H again either.”

            While Raph’s back was turned, Leo shook his head at Mikey, silently warning him that it would be best not to respond to his brother.  Mikey shrugged and returned to rolling out his pizza dough.

            “Mr. Hidesato is at an advanced age, Raph.  No matter what their physical training, a human in their late sixties cannot be expected to move quickly,” Don said.  “You can’t really expect him to go with us on a hunt.”

            “What I expect is that he stop hiding shit from us,” Raph said.  “We forced his hand just now and he had to tell us about the Council.  From the start he made it sound like we were his only option for catching those creatures.  He used us ‘cause he knew we’d be obligated to Casey.”

            “A flight from Japan takes around fourteen hours,” Don said.  “He asked for our help because we’re already here.”

            “The knowledge of our existence along with the realization that his clan was at its end no doubt influenced his decision not to call for backup from other warder clans,” Leo said.

            “He might have been telling the truth about wanting to avoid the unnecessary mayhem other warders could bring to the city,” Don said.  “He might also be concerned about saving face and his clans’ reputation.”

            “So what else ain’t he telling us?” Raph asked in a belligerent manner.  “What other secrets is he hiding that are gonna bite us in the ass?  If he didn’t tell us this one until we backed him into a corner, then what’s it gonna take to drag the rest out of him?”

            “We’ll find out,” Leo said, trying to calm his brother.  “So far we’re doing all right on our own.”

            “He should have said he had people out there who were trained to catch these things!” Raph yelled.  “He should have been right up front about that!”

            “Maybe it’s a matter of trust for him too,” Mikey said, despite Leo’s warning.  “It had to be a shock to him to have four mutated turtles walk into his house.  No matter how good April told him we were, we’re not anything he’s ever dealt with before.”

            “And those escaped creatures aren’t something we’ve ever dealt with before either,” Raph said, grabbing a chair and plopping down onto it.  “Mr. H ain’t much help, the journals ain’t much help, so maybe we can talk to some of those other warders and get their advice.”

            “If we did that, we’d be telling them we don’t know what we’re doing and that Mr. Hidesato is unable to help us,” Leo said.  “All we’d accomplish is to give them an excuse to come to New York.”

            “Suppose other warders had gone out after the Jubokko,” Don said.  “If what Mr. H says is true, those warders would have let that young couple distract the tree so they could sneak in to capture the yokai.”

            “Mr. H might seem like he’s got a one track mind, but he’s never outright suggested we use people as bait,” Mikey said.  “Well, except for Casey, but that’s only ‘cause Casey keeps insisting he wants to help.”

            “Dammit,” Raph said, crossing his arms and leaning back forcefully in his chair.  The chair back creaked in protest.  “I hate this complicated crap.  What happened to the good old days of smacking some bad guys around?”

            Mikey slid two pizzas into the oven and turned back to his brothers.  “Oh, you mean like the Shredder, the Foot Clan, Hun, or our best bud Bishop?  Yeah, that was always _so_ much fun.”

            “Beats the hell out of this magic stuff,” Raph said.  “You’d think we’d had enough of that with the Tengu Shredder.”

            “Possibly part of our destiny is to defeat demons and evil magic,” Leo said.  “I’ve contemplated upon that many times.  That and how we came to exist at all.  Everything about what we’ve encountered in our lives seems intertwined with our origin.  Maybe this is too.”

            Raph rolled his eyes but seemed to relax.  “I’ll leave all that deep thinking to ya’ and Donny,” he said.  “Why ya’ want to find answers to things that don’t really matter is beyond me.”

            That began a conversation that continued along those lines until the doorbell rang.

            “I’ll wait for the pizza to be ready,” Mikey said quickly as his brothers got up.  “I don’t need to see a severed arm.”

            “I hope we’ll still be hungry for pizza after _we_ see it,” Don said as he left the kitchen.

            When they opened the front door to Casey he stepped inside, gingerly holding a newspaper wrapped object out in front of him.

            “Where am I taking this nasty thing?” Casey asked.

            “Come with me, Mr. Jones,” Mr. Hidesato said.  He was standing near the foot of the upper staircase, having appeared without anyone’s notice.

            Leo was relieved when Mr. Hidesato led the way downstairs.  For just a moment he worried that the man was going to use the kitchen table to examine the remains.  It was bad enough they’d already performed first aid on the same surface where they ate.

            The lights were on in the dojo and in Don’s work space, which was where Mr. Hidesato took them.  A plastic sheet had been laid across the center table and a floor lamp pulled up next to it to provide additional illumination.

            There was a tray of medical instruments sitting on a corner of the table.  None of the turtles had heard or seen Mr. Hidesato setting it all up.  Since he hadn’t come into the kitchen to access the hidden medical closet, Leo had to wonder where these particular instruments had come from.

            Mr. Hidesato indicated that Casey should place his find on the table and the man did so with alacrity.  He appeared relieved to have divested himself of his burden and took a step back.  In the strong light, Casey’s face had a distinct greenish tinge.

            Leo wasn’t sure what he expected to see, but as Mr. Hidesato peeled back the newspaper, the young turtle couldn’t help but gasp.  The arm was barely that; scraps of what appeared to be suede still clung to areas, but most of the skin had been shredded, leaving strips of muscle still holding the bones together in spots.

            Using a scalpel, Mr. Hidesato carefully cut away the largest piece of suede and examined it under the light.

            “See here Leonardo,” Mr. Hidesato said, gesturing for Leo to stand next to him.  “The suede has very distinctive marks upon it, as does the skin that lay beneath the suede.  What do they look like to you?”

            Despite the gruesome appearance of the arm, Leo studied both the skin and the piece of suede as Mr. Hidesato indicated he should.  Don moved in close, giving the objects the same intense scrutiny.

            “It looks as though something hooked the skin,” Leo said slowly, unsure as to what he was seeing.

            “Something sharp,” Don said with more confidence than his brother.  “Almost like the end of a fish hook.  You can just see the mark of the barb on the underside of the suede.”

            “Some of that skin looks chewed,” Raph said.  “The rest of it looks sliced.”

            “There wasn’t much left of the guy,” Casey said.  “The only reason I even know it was a guy was ‘cause there was hair on some of the remaining parts where women don’t grow hair.”

            “Most of him was eaten,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “This was undoubtedly the work of a Hari onago.”

            “Hey, if you guys are through looking at gross stuff, the pizzas are ready,” Mikey called out from the doorway.  “I can mix up some sodium bicarbonate for anybody who can’t eat.”

            He left without waiting for his brothers.  Leo knew his quick exit was to avoid inadvertently seeing the arm and couldn’t really blame him.  They were all somewhat inured to grotesque sights, but that didn’t mean they invited the chance to see them.

            At the top of the stairs Mr. Hidesato said, “I will be in the office when you have finished your repast.”

            With a short bow he left them.  The turtles and Casey proceeded on to the kitchen where they found the pizza already sliced and waiting for them on the kitchen island.

            Casey took a bottle of ginger ale from the refrigerator and bypassed the food.  The brothers loaded their plates and sat down at the table to eat.

            “What do ya’ think this Hari whatever is?” Raph asked as he bit into his pizza.

            Mikey lifted a palm.  “Uh uh.  New rule, we don’t talk creatures while we’re eating.  I put effort into these pies and I want you guys to remember the food, not the gross stuff we’re now doing for a living.”

            Don filled his glass from the jug of water which sat in the center of the table.  Holding up the glass, he said, “Here’s to a job well done.”

            His brothers followed suit and Casey came over to clink his bottle against their glasses.  They all drank and Casey slid into a seat.

            “How did ya’ get out of the apartment?” Raph asked.  “And why were ya’ out chasing Purple Dragons?”

            “Angel swung by the shop and told us the Dragons were planning to pull a heist at an auto parts warehouse in the Bronx,” Casey said.  “I been restless and April agreed it’d be a good idea for me to go discourage that piece of crap gang from robbing anybody.”

            “Did ya’?  Discourage them I mean,” Raph said.

            Casey grinned.  “I discouraged the hell out of them.”

            After ten minutes of light hearted banter Casey managed to down a couple of slices of pizza.  They finished up and Don loaded the dishwasher before the group headed in to the office to meet with Mr. Hidesato.

            He was seated at the desk when they arrived, scrolling through a tablet.  Setting it down, Mr. Hidesato said, “Business inventory.  I have not had a chance to review the list of newly acquired items.”

            “You have someone taking care of day to day operations for your import export company?” Don asked, sitting down in a chair opposite him.

            “There is a business manager who oversees the various operations as well as a financial officer who takes care of the finance side of the business,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “They have been with the company for all of their adult lives.”

            “Are they aware of any other part of the family business?” Leo asked.

            “No, though I believe they do suspect we have a crime fighting sideline,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “They have alluded to as much in conversations, but they do not ask and we do not tell.”

            “How about ya’ do tell us about the creature that tore that guy apart,” Raph said.

            Mikey pulled up a chair and sat down, but the others remained standing.  Mr. Hidesato tapped the screen on his tablet and then tapped it again before turning it around for the group to see.  On it was an image of a beautiful Japanese woman in a kimono, her thick black hair flowing all of the way down her back.

            The picture was old and faded.  “This image was created by an artist in seventeen seventy-nine,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “The story is that the brother of one of the artist’s friends was killed by this woman.  They did not know what she was, but the rumors about the killing spread to our clan and we hunted and captured her before she could do more harm.”

            “This is a Hari onago?” Don asked.  “How does she kill?”

            “Her hair is a deadly weapon,” Mr. Hidesato answered.  “The tips of each of her hairs is fitted with a needle-like, barbed hook.  She walks the streets searching for young, single men walking by themselves.  When she comes across one, she offers him a coquettish smile.  If the smile is returned, she attacks by letting all of her hair down and the barbed ends then lash out with incredible speed, sinking deep into her victim’s flesh.”

            “That explains the fish hook appearance on our victim’s skin,” Don said.

            “She is immensely strong,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Once her victim is ensnared and helpless, she rips him into pieces with her hooks and devours the remains.”

            “Anybody ever get away from her?” Casey asked.

            “If one is a very fast runner and can get into a building with a sturdy door,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “If the man can get safely indoors before her hooks catch him, he only has to survive until sunrise, when the yokai vanishes.”

            “She’s fast and she’s strong,” Raph said.  “How the hell do we catch her?”

            “The trap coin must be shoved onto one of her barbs,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “To do this, one must grab a section of her hair.”

            “That means getting close enough to get tangled up in her hair,” Don said.

            “Without getting ripped to shreds,” Mikey added.

            “Once the trap coin is in place, her hair will lose its mobility,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It requires speed and agility to catch this yokai.  Then there is the matter of luring her out in the first place.”

            “I’m guessing she won’t find turtles attractive,” Leo said.

            “Nor old men,” Mr. Hidesato said with a quick glance in Raph’s direction.

            “That leaves me,” Casey said.

            “Ya’ ain’t all that fast,” Raph said, giving him hard stare.

            “Maybe not, but I’m fast enough,” Casey said.  “I figure all I gotta do is make it to my motorcycle.  I can start that baby up in under a second and get her to sixty before any of that bitch’s hair touches me.”

            “If we jump out of hiding before she can pursue Casey, then we can surround and cut her off from him,” Leo said.

            “It wouldn’t hurt to give him a little extra protection,” Don said, appearing lost in thought.

            When he didn’t continue, Raph prodded him.  “What are ya’ thinking, Brainiac?”

            “Bullet proof vest,” Don said.  “Well, not bullet proof, but something he could wear over his clothes that would be harder for a barb to penetrate.  Casey, do you have a leather jacket?”

            “Yeah, April bought me one a couple years ago,” Casey said.  “It’s thick as hell.”

            “That’s perfect,” Don said.  “You’ll need leather pants too and not the kind they wear on TV shows.”

            “More like chaps the cowboys wear,” Casey said, understanding what Don was going for.

            “Like that,” Don said.  “I could make them if you could get me some leather.  April might have some in her shop.  Wear a thick shirt under the jacket and blue jeans under the pants.  And boots if you’ve got them.”

            “I’ve got boots,” Casey said.

            “What about his head?” Raph asked.  “I know it’s thick, but she could sink a barb into his face.”

            “Hey!” Casey protested.

            “He could carry his helmet,” Mikey said.  “As soon as Hari decides his face looks good enough to eat, Casey could slap the helmet on his head.”

            “I’ll run home, let April know what’s going on, and grab whatever leather stuff I can find in her shop,” Casey said.

            “Come back as quickly as you can,” Don told him.  “I’ll need time to fashion some pants for you.”

            “There is a spare bedroom on the second floor, Mr. Jones, if you want to get some sleep,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It has its own bath.”

            “I’ll take ya’ up on that,” Casey said.  “Be back shortly.”

            Raph went to the front to let Casey out and then locked the door behind him.  He returned to the office in time to hear Don ask, “What are we going to do with the arm?”

            “There is a furnace in the room next to your work space in the basement,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It is separate from the one used to heat the house and burns much hotter.  The smell of anything burned inside is ventilated in such a way that it is not noticeable.”

            “That means you’ve had occasion to burn things such as this before,” Leo said.

            “Unfortunately,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “We have tampered with it and left traces of ourselves on the remains, so they cannot be returned to the site of this poor man’s demise.”

            “His family isn’t going to get any closure,” Mikey said.

            “Too often with yokai that is the case,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I have often wished to be able to offer the family some comfort, but the cause of most yokai deaths do not allow for that.”

            “Kinda sucks,” Mikey said.

            Mr. Hidesato pushed back from the desk and stood up.  “I will burn the arm and then retire.  Good-night warders.”

            Taking his tablet with him, Mr. Hidesato left the room and went downstairs.  After he was gone the brothers looked around at each other.

            “There’s no point in my lying down,” Don said.  “I’ve got work to do as soon as Casey gets back here.”

            “I’m gonna hit the showers,” Raph said.  “Anybody want to go with?”

            “I’ll join you,” Mikey said, getting up from his chair.  “What about you, Leo?”

            “I’ll wait here with Donny,” Leo said.  “I want to check the journals and see if I can find the entry for the Hari onago.”

            “Both of ya’ are gonna need sleep sometime,” Raph said.  “How about I come down and help ya’ with that leather suit when I’m done in the shower, Don?”

            “I accept,” Don said.  “I’d like a couple of hours of shuteye after I finish the thing.”

            “Then I’ll collect Leo for a nap too,” Mikey said.  Addressing his older brother, he added, “You aren’t going to spend hours with those musty journals.”

            “Speaking of journals,” Don said, “why don’t you guys take the blank ones I brought upstairs?  We need to work on them sometime.  Be as detailed as possible.  If we’ve learned anything from our hunts it’s that future warders need as much information as we can give them.  We also know we can’t depend on the creatures to stay caught.”

            “Okay,” Mikey said, snatching the journals up from the corner of the desk where they’d left them earlier.  Then he and Raph went upstairs.

            Don collected his duffel bag from the couch and went around to sit at the desk.  Taking a blank pad of paper from his duffel and a pen from the desk set, he began to sketch a design for the leather pants he was going to make.

            While he did that, Leo took some journals from the bookshelves and got comfortable on the couch.  The journals they had pulled out while researching the Jubokko were still scattered across the coffee table, which surprised Leo.  Mr. Hidesato had time to put them away and hadn’t done so, perhaps having grown tired of tidying up behind the turtles.

            Leo was searching through his second journal when the doorbell rang.  When he started to rise, Don waved at him to stay seated and went to let Casey in.  They both returned to the office long enough for Don to collect his sketch and duffel bag.  Casey was carrying a bag with the logo for April’s shop emblazoned on its sides.

            Sometime after Raph went down to join Don in the basement, Mikey strolled into the office, fully intending to drag Leo up to bed.  He found his brother sound asleep on the couch with a journal face down on his plastron.

            Sliding the journal out from under Leo’s fingers, Mikey set it on the coffee table and then used one of the blankets on the back of the couch to cover his brother.  He took a second one with him over to an easy chair, pulling the matching ottoman close and then getting comfortable with his feet up.  Mikey was asleep in minutes.

            The house settled into silence.  Leo slept dreamlessly for a time and when a dream did come, it was different than the others he’d had.

            In his dream, Leo and his brothers surrounded a comely young woman.  For a moment nothing happened, and then the wind kicked up, disarranging her long, dark locks.

            As soon as her hair lifted, the attractive face became contorted with rage.  Leo felt something sharp flick the skin on his cheek and it stung.

            Before he could react, a light from somewhere nearby began to grow brighter.  Within seconds that light swelled to such brilliance that Leo had to squint against it.

            “Leo, dude, wake up,” Mikey urged, shaking his brother’s shoulder.

            Leo’s eyes snapped open and settled on Mikey’s concerned face.  Clearing his throat, Leo sat up and Mikey perched on the coffee table in front of him.

            “What’s wrong?” Leo asked.

            “You were making some weird sounds and holding your hands up in front of your face,” Mikey said.  “Was something attacking you in your dream?”

            “It was the Hari onago,” Leo said, touching his cheek as the memory of the wound she’d inflicted came back to him.  “I wasn’t trying to fend her off though, I was trying to protect my eyes from a very bright light that came out of nowhere.”

            “Did you find her in a journal before you fell asleep?” Mikey asked.  “Maybe it says something about a light.”

            “I found a reference to her and it was pretty much everything Mr. Hidesato told us,” Leo said.  “Nothing about a light.”

            “Then we gotta ask him,” Mikey said.  “Maybe he forgot about it.”

            “What time is it?” Leo asked.

            Mikey rose and went around to look at the small clock on the desk.  “Just past two-thirty,” he said.  “I could go for a sandwich.  How about you?”

            Getting up to stretch, Leo said, “I could.  Do you have any idea where Raph and Don are?”

            “Nope.  I fell asleep in that chair,” Mikey said.  “Let’s go find out.”

            Mikey went downstairs and Leo upstairs.  Leo found his brothers asleep in one of the bedrooms and backed out quietly.

            Meeting Mikey again on the ground floor, Leo said, “They’re sound asleep.”

            “Probably ate before they went up,” Mikey said as he and Leo proceeded into the kitchen. 

            They discovered Mr. Hidesato seated at the table, sipping coffee and reading the newspaper.

            “Did you sleep well?” Mr. Hidesato asked them.

            “Leo had another dream,” Mikey said as he pulled out a loaf of bread.

            Lowering his paper, Mr. Hidesato asked, “Was it about the Hari onago?”

            While they made sandwiches, Leo told the man about his dream.  Taking seats at the table, Mikey asked, “So that light.  Was that something the creature makes?”

            Mr. Hidesato frowned as he shook his head.  “No.  It is nothing with which I am familiar.  Perhaps it was an automobile headlight?”

            Mikey stopped his sandwich halfway to his mouth, his eyes wide.  “You don’t think it could have been Bishop, do you?  I keep expecting him to pop up.”

            “He probably will if reports of strange sightings reach him,” Leo said.  “It’s something to be considered.”

            “Who is Bishop?” Mr. Hidesato asked.

            Leo explained, telling him of Agent John Bishop and the Earth Protection Force.  “He’s helped us in the past, but most of our encounters involve him trying to dissect us.  He’ll investigate any yokai sighting he’s made aware of to find out if it’s of alien origin.”

            “It won’t matter if it isn’t ‘cause he’ll still get in our way,” Mikey said.  “We’ve gotta try to keep a low profile on what we’re doing and on any news getting out about creatures.”

            “Another good reason not to have other warders come here,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “They will not be nearly as circumspect as we are.”

            The brothers finished their sandwiches and then went to the dojo for a workout.  It wasn’t long before Raph and Don found them.

            After their workout, Leo took a quick shower in the basement bathroom and then joined his brothers in the media room.  Mr. Hidesato had told them he was preparing dinner so that they could relax.

            When it was time to eat, Raph ran upstairs and pounded on Casey’s door, rousing his friend.  At the dinner table, Leo told them of his dream and their concerns about Bishop.

            “That’s just what we need, Bishop horning in on this,” Raph said.

            “We can’t worry about him,” Leo said.  “We’ll carry on with our plan and hope he isn’t around.  If we do see him at some point, we’ll probably have to tell him something of what’s happening, just to keep him out of our way.”

            “What makes you think he’ll listen?” Don asked.

            “We proved that we were right about the Tengu Shredder,” Leo said.  “That should have bought us some consideration from the man.”

            “If he becomes a nuisance, I can bring some pressure to bear on the man,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I am not without influential friends.  If necessary, the full weight of the Council can be utilized as well.”

            “Did ya’ finish those pants, Donny?” Casey asked.

            “They’re ready for a fitting,” Don said.

            “Let’s review logistics while we finish up here,” Leo said.  “Then we can get Casey suited up.”

            “I brought April’s van,” Casey said.  “My motorcycle’s inside.”

            They discussed the plan for capturing the Hari onago and then Don helped Casey into his protective gear.  Don had taken apart several leather jackets in order to create the pants, making certain they were large enough to fit over Casey’s jeans and not restrict his movements.

            While Casey pulled the van around to the alley behind the gardens, the turtles collected the proper trap coin and the wax tool. It was after nine and dark out as the Turtles climbed inside the van for the ride to the Bronx.

            Casey drove slowly past the alley where he’d found the remains of the Hari onago’s victim.  There was white chalk outlines around where the various human parts had lain, indicating the police had processed the scene.  After driving around a couple of times, the group determined that there was currently no police presence in the area.

            “They probably think it was a gang related killing,” Don said.

            “Let’s make sure it’s the only one,” Leo said, his expression grim.

            “How are we gonna know where Casey should park his bike?” Raph asked.

            “As long as we’re in the general area of her first kill, I’m fairly certain she’ll come to him,” Leo said.  “What we need is a spot that will provide us with good cover.”

            “The city blocks here are about six hundred feet long,” Don said.  “Casey can probably run that in under a minute.”

            “If he’s motivated,” Raph said.

            “Ya’ can bet your ass I will be,” Casey said.

            “We should cut that time down,” Leo said.  “We have to allow for the time it takes you to mount your bike and start it.”

            “Then he should be no more than four hundred to four hundred and fifty feet from where he parks the bike at all times,” Don said.

            “Make sure ya’ back it into the parking spot,” Raph said.  “That way ya’ can turn away from whichever direction the creature shows up.”

            “Geez, ya’ think I’m an idiot?” Casey asked.

            “I’ll get back to ya’ on that,” Raph said with a grin.

            “Jerk,” Casey said.

            “Wack bag,” Raph tossed back at him.

            “Over there,” Leo said, tapping Casey on the shoulder and pointing to a section of the block where a small liquor store sat.

            “Gotcha, let me find a parking place,” Casey said.

            Once he’d parked the van, Casey and Raph took the motorcycle out of the back and walked it to within three hundred feet of the liquor store.  Leaving it backed onto the sidewalk facing outwards, they joined the other three turtles who were waiting in front of the store.

            “Walk a hundred feet in that direction,” Leo said, pointing away from where the motorcycle was parked, “then come back past us towards the bike.  Stay at least fifty feet from it and turn around to come back.  If you’re too close to the bike when she approaches, you won’t get a big enough jump on her.”

            “So I just walk up and down the sidewalk?” Casey asked.

            “Just walk,” Leo said.  “Try not to look as though you’re waiting on anything.  We’ll post atop the store awning, in the tree, behind the garbage bins, and on the window balcony one floor up.”

            “Don’t look in our direction when ya’ go by either,” Raph said.

            Casey lifted the collar on his jacket and turned to look at his motorcycle.  “Okay, I guess I’ll start walking.”

            When he glanced back, the turtles had vanished to their hiding places.  Exhaling heavily, Casey began strolling the sidewalk, swinging his helmet and behaving as though he hadn’t a care in the world.

            Hiding amongst the tree branches, Leo scanned the street.  It was quiet; a block containing mostly small stores with some apartments above them.  Since it was nearly ten-thirty at night, most of the apartments were dark.

            Leo kept track of the time as it passed.  They were two blocks from where the yokai’s first attack had been and it had happened sometime after midnight.  The waiting did not bother him, but concern over police patrols did.  If a patrol unit caught sight of Casey, they would stop and question him.  He’d more than likely be told to move along and that would ruin their chances of catching the creature.

            Luck seemed to be with them.  For more than two hours Casey paced the same length of sidewalk, seemingly undaunted by the monotony.  Only three cars passed on the street during that time and none of them were police units.

            Already watchful, Leo grew even more so as the hour crawled past midnight.  His brothers were well hidden and he couldn’t see them, but he knew that they were quite aware of the time.

            Donatello, on the balcony, had the most unobstructed view of the street.  Casey was approaching their positions when Don imitated the call of a Northern Mockingbird to draw his brothers’ attention.

            Through the branches of the tree, Leo saw a young woman in a loosely fitting kimono walking down the sidewalk towards Casey.  Their friend stopped under the awning where Raph was hidden and awaited her approach.

            Without pausing in her steps, the Hari onago smiled demurely at Casey.  Leo tensed, getting ready to spring from hiding.

            For a moment Casey seemed to have forgotten what he was supposed to do.  Holding his breath, Leo waited, hoping that Casey wouldn’t allow her to get too close.  Then Casey shook his head as though waking himself, and smiled.

           As soon as Casey returned her smile, he yanked the helmet onto his head, turned on his heel, and started running.

            The Hari onago was incredibly fast.  In the time it took Casey to don his helmet she had let her hair down.  If he hadn’t been simultaneously moving, the first lash of her hair would have entangled him fully.

            As it was, several barbed tips slid off his helmet and a dozen more ripped into the top layer of his leather jacket and pants.

            Running as if the very devil was after him, Casey sped toward his bike without looking back.  Before the Hari onago could move to give chase, the turtles leaped out of hiding and surrounded her.

            The sound of Casey’s motorcycle starting up told the turtles he’d reached safety.  They didn’t need to worry about his staying out of the yokai’s reach; his tires squealed as he sped away from the scene.

            Upon seeing the turtles, the Hari onago hissed, her eyes on the warder symbols burned into Leo’s arm.  Turning away from him, she tried to slip past Mikey, pulling up short when she saw that he also bore the symbol.

            Finding that she couldn’t escape, the creature decided to fight.  With blinding speed her hair snapped out at the turtles, the barbs on each tip deadly sharp.

            Leo automatically turned his carapace to her, feeling the snap of her hair as it bounced off the hard surface.  He spun back to try to grab hold of one of her locks, but her hair recoiled from his grasping hands.

            “Keep your shell to her!” Leo yelled.

            A barb swept past his guard but couldn’t penetrate his plastron.  Each length of hair seemed to have a mind of its own and Leo knew it wouldn’t be long before the creature stopped trying for their center mass and went for areas not protected by shell.

            “Shit!” Raph yelped as a barbed tip sliced into his arm.

            “Ow!  Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” Mikey screeched, jumping up and down while hair snapped at his legs.

            Don had his bō out, trying to trap a section of hair.  In the time it took to blink, the Hari onago hooked one of his hands and caused him to drop his weapon.  Leo drew his sword and sliced the tendril of hair as Don worked it out of his skin.  When he threw it down, the tendril crawled across the sidewalk and was scooped up by another section of hair.

            The Hari onago tried to run through the space left by Leo when he’d moved to rescue Don and the turtle leader had to jump to cut off her escape.  In response, several coils of hair lashed his body, scratching the skin along his exposed sides and arms.

            “Fuck me!” Raph shouted as a lock of hair looped around his wrist and dug into the back of his hand.  With his free hand he tried to catch another tendril that came at him, but it drew back so quickly his hand grasped air.

            “She’s too fast!” Mikey called out, sounding desperate.

            A tendril snapped towards Leo’s face and he ducked aside, not quickly enough to avoid the stinging cut she inflicted along his cheek.

            Just as in his dream, as soon as that happened, a light suddenly appeared in the darkness.  It wasn’t coming from the street though, it was coming from Donatello.

            Looking over at his brother, Leo saw that the warder symbols on his arm had begun to glow.  The brighter they got, the slower the tendrils nearest him became.

            “Grab my hand!” Don yelled, reaching for both Leo and Raph.

            When Leo’s hand touched Don’s, his own warder symbols started to glow.  Stretching toward his youngest brother, Leo tried to catch hold of Mikey’s hand.

            Almost as if in desperation, the Hari onago focused on the one warder whose symbols had not come to life.  As all of her hair began to move towards Mikey, Don clamped down on the coil that was still caught in the back of Raph’s hand to keep it from escaping.

           Though slowed by the warder magic, the Hari onago’s hair swept forward quickly enough so that the first tendril touched his plastron before Mikey could move.

            Behind them, the roar of a motorcycle cut through the night.  “Hey bitch!  Thought ya’ wanted me!”

            The Hari onago jerked around, her hair snapping back from Mikey, and Leo lunged for him.

            “Get him, Raph!” Leo ordered as he fastened onto Mikey’s hand.

            Raph was moving before the words fully left Leo’s mouth.  Pouncing at Mikey’s outstretched hand, he seized it and completed the circle.

            The symbols on Mikey’s arm began to glow once he made the connection to his brothers.  As the intensity of the light increased, the Hari onago’s hair backed away from the warders, moving in slow motion.

            Trapped by the magic of the light, the creature stood frozen, her hair looped around her body.  Using two fingers, Don worked the barb of the last tendril loose from Raph’s hand and then maintained his grip on it so that it couldn’t get away.

            “Gotta move fast,” Raph said, squinting against the brightness created by the warder symbols.  “Who’s got the coin?”

            “Mikey does,” Leo said.  “Stay still; Mikey will lean towards you.  When he releases your hand, slide yours up along his arm to maintain contact while he gets the coin out of his belt.”

            Leo leaned in Mikey’s direction when the younger turtle began to move, giving his brother as much slack as he could.  When just the tips of his fingers were still touching Don’s, Leo held his position.

            Very slowly Mikey reached for his belt, making certain that Raph was touching him at all times.  Taking the coin from a hidden pocket, he lifted his hand again and transferred the coin to Raph.

            “I’m gonna count three,” Raph said.  “On three I’ll stick this coin on the hair Don’s holding.”

            “The rest of us won’t let go of each other,” Leo said.

            Raph nodded.  “Ready? One, two, _three_!”

            Spinning towards Don, Raph’s hand snapped down on the length of hair.  It pulled against his grip, the tip twisting around to avoid the coin he was holding.

            The glow from the symbols diminished once the circle was broken and the Hari onago showed signs of coming to life.  Just as her hair began to slide loose from her body again, Raph jammed the coin onto the barbed tip and leaped away.

            Head thrown back, the creature howled as her hair whipped towards the coin and was pulled into it.  There was a grinding sound from the heels of her shoes when the Hari onago dug into the sidewalk to try to fight against the coin’s magic.

            Her struggles were in vain.  Within seconds her body disappeared into the coin.

            Dropping Leo’s hand, Don pounced on the coin, sweeping it up and placing it inside the tips of the wax tool.  Leo released Mikey’s hand and the glow from their symbols faded completely.

            Holding up the sealed coin, Don looked around at his brothers, then at Casey who walked over to join them.

            “Guys, what the hell just happened?” Casey asked.  “Ya’ glowed.  What made ya’ glow like that?”

            Speaking for his brothers, Leo said, “We have no idea.”

 

End Hari onago


	9. Night of the Aka manto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 9,602  
> Rated: R 2k3 violence/gore, language

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>                 There wasn’t much talk during the ride back to HQ. The turtles were all still stunned by the events of the evening and Casey, though he had questions, honored his friends’ mood by staying quiet.

            Casey parked April’s van in the alley behind the garden, making sure to securely lock it because his motorcycle was inside.  He trailed along with the brothers, entering the house through a door in the laundry room and then into the kitchen.

            While Don gathered some first aid supplies from the medical closet, his brothers used washcloths to clean their wounds.  The barbed tips of the Hari onago’s hair had done a number on all of them.  Mikey’s legs were covered in abrasions, there was a nasty cut on one of Raph’s arms and both he and Don had deep lacerations on their hands.

            Each of them had scratches and scrapes along their sides, and Leo sported a sliced cheek.

            They helped each other tend to their wounds, none of which required stitching.  Don used butterfly bandages to pull together the skin on Leo’s cheek while Raph applied an antibiotic ointment to each of Mikey’s abrasions, bandaging the larger cuts.

            While the turtles attended to their injuries, Casey removed the outer layer of his protective leather clothing.  The leather pants were badly ripped all down the backside, but the barbs hadn’t penetrated through to his jeans.  Unfortunately, his leather jacket had also been torn open by the yokai.

            “Damn,” Casey muttered, holding his jacket up to the light.  Holes and tears in the material were quite visible.  “April’s gonna bust my chops for ruining this jacket.”

            “Then ya’ should have found something else to wear,” Raph said without looking at him.  “Ya’ knew what we were going up against.”

            “Shit, I thought I was gonna move fast enough so she wouldn’t touch me,” Casey griped.  “I thought ya’ guys were gonna jump her before she got close enough to shred my damn jacket.”

            “She wouldn’t have gotten as close as she did if ya’ didn’t hesitate when ya’ saw her smile at ya’,” Raph said, applying the last bandage to Mikey’s legs and standing up.  “What’s with the freezing up routine?  Ya’ do that every time we see one of these creatures.  Ya’ never do that when we’re fighting anyone else.”

            “Excuse me for finding supernatural monsters unnerving,” Casey snapped.  “So what the hell was with that glowy thing ya’ guys had going on?  Never seen ya’ do something like that before.”

            The brothers exchanged glances.  “We experienced something similar during our training with the Ninja Tribunal and the fight with the Tengu Shredder,” Don said.  “We had amulets then and they helped us to focus and amplify our chi.”

            Casey looked confused.  “I got no idea what ya’ just said.”

            “Life energy,” Mr. Hidesato said from the kitchen entrance.  None of them had heard his approach.  “It requires concentration to focus one's chi in such a way as to physically manifest it.”

            “It requires focus and energy,” Don said.  “You express your chi, your own life energy, through sheer force of will.  All you have to do, as Mr. Hidesato said, is concentrate.”

            “Is that what ya’ did, Donny?” Casey asked.  “That glow started with ya’.”

            “A glow?” Mr. Hidesato asked.  “During your encounter with the Hari onago?”

            “Yeah,” Casey answered.  “That bitch was too damn fast and her hair was tearing the guys up.  Then all of a sudden Don’s arm starts to glow and the hair near him slows to a crawl.  Don yelled for his bros to grab his hands and as soon as they did, they started to glow too.  When all four of them were glowing, that monster just froze.”

            Mr. Hidesato was staring at Donatello by the time Casey finished his recitation.  “The glow, did it come from the warder symbols branded on your arm?”

            “It started there, yes,” Don said.  “I just thought that if magic was used to brand us with the symbols, then maybe there was magic in the symbols themselves.  We needed an edge of some kind.  At the rate that barbed hair was moving, we weren’t going to be able to keep her contained long enough to shove the trap coin onto a section of hair.”

            “Damn, Donny,” Raph said, looking at his brother with admiration.  “All I could think to do was to charge her and start stabbing as fast as I could.”

            “There have been few warders in our line or any other with the ability to tap into the magic contained in the symbols,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It provides a degree of protection and gives one the ability to control the magic of the trap coin and wax tool, but to wield that magic as a combat tool is almost unheard of.”

            “They never met our Donatello,” Raph said.  “He’s full of surprises.”

            “I’ll bet there’s never been a warder in all history as smart as Donny,” Mikey said, wrapping an arm around Don’s shoulders and tugging him close.

            “Aw you guys, cut it out,” Don said, looking embarrassed.  “I just did what needed to be done.”

            “Once the Council learns that my team of warders includes one who has prophetic dreams and another who can control the magic in the symbols, they will be far less inclined to interfere,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “Sure, and once they find out we’re mutants, they’ll be ready to make trap coins to hold us,” Raph said, his manner surly.

            “I think it would be best if you told them as little about us as possible,” Leo said.  “Our father raised us to be invisible and to remain unknown to the outside world.  He would not be pleased to have the knowledge of our existence spread around to so many strangers all across the globe.”

            “They already know that I have found four people with the requisite training to be warders and that they have taken on that mantle,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Knowing that you have special skills is more likely to keep them away than to draw their interest.”

            “The operative word there is ‘people’,” Don said.  “Which we aren’t.  Suppose that telling them about our gifts piques their interest rather than lessens it?  Suppose that makes them more inclined to want to see us?”

            “We can’t afford for there to be even the slightest chance that your Council will demand an audience with us,” Leo said.  “Public knowledge of our existence would be just as detrimental as having these creatures roaming the streets.”

            “Right now the only thing you’ve done for us is run interference,” Raph said.  “If ya’ can’t handle even that, what good are ya’?”

            “I realize that we have our differences Raphael,” Mr. Hidesato said, “but I am not inclined to allow you to insult me at your every opportunity.  Most of what you have learned as warders has come from me.  I would hope that you are skilled enough to do this job without my having hold your hand.”

            “I’ll give ya’ something to hold,” Raph growled, starting forward.

            “Enough bro’.”  Leo quickly stepped to the side to partially block Raph.  Looking at Mr. Hidesato, he said, “Since we’ve accepted this job in order to save face for your clan, it is only right that we have the final say in matters concerning the Council.  All they need to know is that your warders are getting the job done, that we’re capturing the escaped creatures as soon as they pop up, and that we’re doing so with minimal damage to life and property.  That means no publicity, which should be their primary concern.”

            “You are correct of course,” Mr. Hidesato said, bowing his head in acknowledgment.  “I beg your forbearance; the situation we find ourselves in is unusual for all of us.”

            “All good, Raph?” Leo asked, glancing over his shoulder at his brother.

            Raph’s eyes were still narrowed in anger, but he grit his teeth and after a moment said, “Yeah, fine.”

            “Could we go to bed now?” Mikey asked.  “I’m beat and the cuts on my legs sting.”

            “The Hari onago?” Mr. Hidesato asked.

            “Here,” Don said, passing the coin and the wax tool across to Mr. Hidesato.

            “I will put this away in its proper place,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “Yeah, ya’ do that,” Raph said with a slight sneer.

            “Goodnight to you then,” Mr. Hidesato said, he turned to go but paused in the doorway to add, “Excellent work, Warders.  Sleep well.”

            “Ass . . . .” Raph began.

            “I think you’ve already made your point,” Leo said, interrupting him.

            “Still feels good to vent,” Raph replied.  “Hey Case, ya’ staying here?”

            Casey slung his jacket over his arm and said, “Nah, I’m heading home.  April will worry if she wakes up and I ain’t there.  If I call to tell her where I am and that wakes her up, then I’ll feel shitty.  She don’t get enough sleep as it is.”

            “We’re glad you take such good care of her,” Don said.

            “She takes care of me,” Casey said, correcting him.  “Don’t know what I’d do without her and don’t ever want to find out.  Later guys!”

            He left via the laundry room and Raph made certain the door was secured behind him.  When he returned to his brothers, he saw that Don and Mikey had gone to the medical closet to put things away.

            “Ya’ looking for a job as a diplomat, Leo?” Raph asked.

            “Not especially,” Leo answered.  “Right now we need each other.  There’s no point in antagonizing the man.  We have a big stake in clearing this mess up for Casey’s sake.  If we step aside, Mr. Hidesato will have no choice but to allow other warders to enter our city.  I don’t want them tearing New York down around us just to get at these creatures.”

            “Remembering that we only got Mr. H’s word for how they operate,” Raph said.  “He ain’t been all that forthcoming with us.”

            Mikey stretched as he walked towards them, yawning wide.  Behind him Don was shutting the pantry door.

            “Bed,” Mikey said, his tone insistent.  “Argue later, sleep now.”

            “Yes your highness,” Raph said with a grin.  “Ya’ want a foot rub too?”

            “If you’re offering,” Mikey replied.  “I think Don deserves it more though, since he did save our butts tonight.”

            “I’d settle for all of us sleeping in the same room tonight,” Don said as the brothers started up the stairs.  “I really miss being near all of you.”

            “That’s easy,” Mikey said with enthusiasm.  “Let’s just shove some stuff around and put all the mattresses on the floor in one room.”

            “Sometimes you have the best ideas,” Don said, running up the stairs.

            “Not sometimes, all the time,” Mikey insisted as he raced to catch up to his brother.

            Leo and Raph quickened their pace as well and soon the four turtles had mattresses piled onto the floor in one of the bedrooms.  Don crawled into a spot at the center of the pile and Mikey jumped in beside him, pulling Don into his arms.

            Curling himself around Don’s shell, Leo sighed with satisfaction as Raph pressed in close to him.  Lifting his head, Leo waited for Raph to slide his arm underneath and then lay down in the muscular crook of his brother’s arm.

            “Let’s not sleep in separate rooms anymore,” Mikey mumbled sleepily.  “It doesn’t feel right.”

            Don hummed his agreement, having drifted too far towards sleep to bother with a proper response.  Raph’s snores a few minutes later indicated that he was already out.

            It took Leo a bit longer to fall asleep.  He kept thinking over the events of the night and of the magical glow that had appeared just when they needed it. 

           As it had in the past, their close spiritual connection had manifested itself in a tangible way as soon as their protective instincts had kicked in. Holding each other, touching each other, had given them the strength to fight the yokai.

           Sleeping like this, all in one bed, that gave them comfort. Their bond was their greatest weapon.  It produced a magic of its own, one that was more formidable than anything the warder clans could dream up.

           Inhaling deeply, Leo breathed in his brothers’ scents, and fell asleep.

           Running.

           Running and chasing something.

           No matter how fast he ran, the thing he was trying to catch remained elusive, just out of Leo’s reach.

           It bobbed in front of him, one minute wearing red, the next it had changed color and was blue. There was no face. 

           All around him there were lights and nearly colorless brick walls. The lights shone in his eyes, making him squint as he chased his quarry.  Leo stretched out a hand, leaping to grasp at the suddenly purple colored object.  His fingers stroked across a silken garment.  As soon as the tips of his fingers made contact, the color of the garment changed again, becoming so white it faded into the background.

           A disembodied voice suddenly sounded close to his head.

           “What color do you choose?”

           Before he could respond a circle of inky blackness enveloped him and Leo felt himself falling.

           His shout of surprise woke his brothers.

           “Leo. Leo!  Wake up bro’,” Mikey urged, grasping his older brother by his upper arms.

           “What the shell? Snap out of it Leo,” Raph said, sliding a hand beneath Leo’s head and tilting it towards him.

           Leo’s eyes blinked open to look up at Raph. For a moment he was disoriented; the darkness of the room in direct contrast to the colors he’d left behind in his dream.

           When clarity hit he struggled to sit up, using Raph’s arm for leverage.

            “Another prophetic dream?” Don asked with concern.

            Leo rubbed a hand across his eyes and shook his head to clear it.  He was leaning back against Raph, who had an arm around his older brother and felt the shiver that went through Leo’s body.

            “I don’t think I like what these dreams do to ya’,” Raph said.

            “We need them,” Leo replied.  “Besides, it’s not as though I can turn them off.”

            “What did ya’ dream about this time?” Raph asked.

            Narrowing his eyes in concentration, Leo recounted his dream, trying hard to remember everything about it, no matter how small.  When he finished, he noticed that Don was writing down what he’d said in one of their journals.

            Don glanced up when the room grew quiet.  “I think it’s important that we leave behind a written account of your dreams, Leo.  Future prophetic dreamers will find the information useful in interpreting their own dreams.”

            “Future warders are probably gonna use that computer program you’re building to look up whatever they need to know,” Mikey said.  “It’ll make the Hidesato clan name even more famous than it already is, at least according to Mr. H.”

            “I’ll create a cross-referencing system so that when key words are searched, all possible yokai matches will appear,” Don said.  “Narrowing the search will depend on how many key words a warder inputs.  These dream logs will help.”

            “I don’t know why, but it makes me think of a big game hunter going out in the wild with a computer strapped to his back,” Raph said.  “Is that the future?  Kinda takes the sport out of it.”

            “I’m not too worried about giving these creatures a sporting chance,” Leo said.

            “Remember that Marlin dude who tried to kill Leatherhead?” Mikey asked.  “He had all kinds of computerized gadgets with him, not to mention that robot thingy he called Amelia and the gun he named Betsy.”

            “None of which did him any good against us,” Raph stated.  “Think ya’ can go back to sleep, Leo?  A couple extra hours of shuteye will do us all some good, especially if your dream is gonna send us out later on another chase.”

            “The dream delivered its message, so hopefully I can actually sleep this time,” Leo said, sliding back down under the blankets.  “It’s hard to rest when your dreams are as active as your waking life.”

            “Yeah, well the sooner we catch all those damn creatures, the sooner ya’ leave the weird ass dreams behind,” Raph said, getting comfortable and pulling Leo in close to him.

            The only one who didn’t immediately lie down again was Don.  He continued to write in his journal, no doubt too caught up in an idea to be able to sleep.  There was no use in telling him to save it for later, they all knew by now how Donny’s mind worked.

            Raph’s even breathing and Mikey’s mumbling told Leo that they’d both gone back to sleep.  The scratching of Don’s pen was kind of soothing, and Leo found himself drifting on the edge of sleep as well.

           A thought that niggled at the back of his mind kept Leo from falling into much needed slumber. After a few minutes he finally caught what it was that worried him.

           “Choose,” Leo whispered, looking up at Don. “It told me to choose a color.”

           “I know, I wrote that down Leo,” Don said as he paused in his writing, keeping his voice low. “What about it?”

           “Red, blue, and purple,” Leo said. “Our colors.  At least, three of our colors.”

           “You think it wanted you to choose either yourself or one of us for some reason?” Don asked with a frown. “Like, maybe you were chasing it because it had Raph and I and it wanted you to give yourself up in order to save us?”

           “I don’t know,” Leo said. “It’s all conjecture.  I don’t like it.”

           “Neither do I, but there isn’t much we can do until we figure out which yokai we’re hunting,” Don said. “You have those dreams as a way to forewarn us about things that are going to happen.  Armed with that knowledge, we should be able to forestall the worst from occurring.”

           “In other words, don’t dwell on it and go back to sleep?” Leo asked, a slight smile turning up the corners of his lips.

           Don sighed and closed his journal. “I should take my own advice.”

           As he lay down, Leo said, “You’re learning. Besides, you should be well rested in case we need you to turn up the warder symbol magic again.”

           “You guys should be able to do it too, now that we know we can,” Don said.

           “It’d be a good idea if we practiced doing that later today,” Leo said.

           Mikey snorted, mumbled something about ‘Turtle Titan’, and batted at the air. Don caught his hand and lowered it, exchanging grins with Leo as he did so.

           “Goodnight Leo,” Don whispered.

           “’Night Donny,” Leo replied.

            It was late morning by the time all four of the brothers were up and around.  They found a selection of baked goods on platters in the kitchen along with a note from Mr. Hidesato saying that he hoped they would enjoy the pastries and that he had gone out on an errand but would return in a few hours.

            “It looks as though he thinks he’s feeding an army,” Don said, looking around at the food as he waited for his coffee to brew.

            Mikey was already chowing down on a bear claw as he filled his plate with an assortment of goodies.  “He _is_ feeding an army,” he said around a mouthful of food.

            “I don’t know that I want to eat anything in this house that we didn’t make ourselves,” Raph said, sounding grouchy.

            Raph’s eyes lingered on some apple strudel before his lip curled defiantly and he went to sit down at the table.  It was clear he wanted someone to talk him into eating a pastry; he was too stubborn to take one unless they did.  Leo reached into the waste bin and held up a box which showed the logo of a nearby bakery.

            “He had the pastries delivered, Raph.  I’m fairly certain they’re safe,” Leo said.

            “Yeah, what’s he gonna do, poison the warders who are helping him out?” Mikey asked as he too sat down.  “Maybe this is his way of saying he’s sorry for making you mad.  Like, all of the time.”

            “And maybe I don’t want his apology,” Raph said, his manner belligerent.

           Don placed a cup of coffee in front of him. “You two are going to have to find a way to communicate.  It’s pretty clear to me that Mr. H isn’t used to directing warders, at least not brand new ones.”

           Leo helped himself to a turnover and then placed one of the apple strudels onto a separate plate, giving it to Raph before going back to the stove to deal with his whistling tea pot. Over his shoulder he said, “You love strudel, Raph.  Enjoy it.  No one is going to read anything into you having breakfast.  Supplying us with food is the least Mr. Hidesato can do for our helping to clear his family name.”

           “Humpf. When ya’ put it that way, I should accept some payment for the aggravation,” Raph said before taking a big bite of the strudel.

           Don covered his grin as he joined his brothers at the table. He waited for Leo to sit down before digging into his blueberry kolache.

           “We should take an assortment of these over to Master Splinter,” Leo said. “He enjoys fresh pastries.”

           “I’ll bet he could help us learn to control the magic in the warder symbols,” Don said. “His guidance would make that process move along a lot faster.”

           “We’re gonna try to tap into the magic the way Donny did? Radical dudes!” Mikey exclaimed enthusiastically.

           “Why do you have to talk like that?” Raph asked, frowning at his brother. “Keep it up and you’ll scare off the yokai before we even get close to them.”

           “Hey!” Mikey protested.

           “It could be worse, Raph. He could start shouting ‘Cowabunga’ again,” Don said with a laugh.

           “Let’s finish up here, pack some food, and head back to the lair,” Leo said. “This is as good a time as any.”

           “I have a lot of work to do if I want to get all of those journals scanned into the new computer program,” Don said. “We still need to figure out which creature your dream was trying to warn us about.  That information is here.”

           “We won’t stay long,” Leo said. “We have to find a way to balance our training with this job and it wouldn’t be fair to Master Splinter for us to be away from him for too long.  He worries.”

           They quickly finished their breakfast. While Mikey packed some food for their father, Leo left a note on the kitchen chalkboard so that Mr. Hidesato would know where they’d gone.  Once they were ready, the foursome headed down to the basement and out to the shell sleds.

           Upon entering the lair, the brothers were surprised to find that April was there with Master Splinter.

           “Casey’s watching the shop with my part-time clerk,” April explained as she greeted the turtles. “This is the first chance I’ve gotten in a couple of weeks to get in some training time with Master Splinter.”

           “Ya’ just start?” Raph asked. “We brought some breakfast.”

           “We have just finished,” Master Splinter said, walking to the kitchen with his sons and April.

           “Mr. H went a little crazy with the pastries,” Mikey said. “I think he bought out the store.  These will keep in the refrigerator and you can warm them up whenever you get hungry for something sweet Sensei.”

           “That is very thoughtful of you, my sons. You have quite a few more injuries since the last time I saw you.  Are you all right?” Master Splinter asked.

           “We’re fine Father,” Leo answered. “We had a run in with a creature whose living hair had barbed tips.”

           “Other than feeling like fish that managed to wriggle off a hook we’re doing pretty good,” Raph said.

            “Speak for yourself,” Mikey said.  “My cuts still sting.”

           “I have an ointment in my lab that will help with that,” Don said. “I’ll grab it before we leave.”

           “I saw what that thing did to Casey’s jacket. All of you need to be more careful,” April said.  She gave Don an odd look.  “He also said that you were glowing, but I couldn’t make any sense of his explanation.  What happened?”

           Don recounted their adventure in hunting down the Hari onago and how he’d managed to tap into the magic of the warder symbols. Master Splinter began to nod as Don finished his tale.

           “It comes as no surprise to me that you were able to access the magic in those symbols, Donatello. You have long had the ability to tap into a deeper part of your spiritual side.  That skill often lays dormant due to your more cerebral pursuits,” Master Splinter said.  “I am pleased that the talent has proven advantageous.  The question is, could you produce the same results without being driven by fear for your brothers’ safety?”

           “That’s partly why we came home, Master Splinter,” Leo said. “We believe that we should all learn to access the power in our warder symbols.  Mr. Hidesato said that very few warders have ever been able to tap into that power, but it seems that could be one of our more powerful weapons against the yokai.”

           “We did it with our acolyte amulets,” Mikey said. “We should be able to do it with the symbols too, right Master Splinter?”

           “It depends on how long it takes you to focus Michelangelo,” Master Splinter said dryly.

           “Ow,” Mikey said, grasping his heart. “You wound me.”

           Raph chuckled. “Bet that stung more than the cuts on your legs.”

           “Why don’t we get in a little warm up while Sensei eats something?” Leo suggested. “He can help us with our meditation when he’s ready.  Want to join us, April?”

           “I’d love to join you guys,” April said wistfully, “but it’s not a good idea for me to leave the shop in Casey’s hands for much longer. Price bargaining is not his forte.”

           “Neither is being around a lot of breakables,” Raph said with a grin.

           They said their goodbyes to April and then the brothers went to the dojo to work out. After a while their father joined them and following his directions, they sat in a semi-circle facing him.

           “Like your avatars, the power to access the world’s magic is within all of you,” Master Splinter said. “Magic is a part of the spirit world.  When you access your inner spirit, you become one with the magic that exists within.”

           “We used our amulets as a way to direct our chi when we manifested our avatars during the fight with the Tengu Shredder,” Don said. “It’s what I was thinking about when we were trying to capture the Hari onago.”

           “So you utilized the symbols in your brand as a way to amplify your chi,” Leo said.

           “The symbols are connected to magic, they were forged _through_ magic,” Don said.  “It only makes sense that once our inner spirit bonds with the magic surrounding it, we could control the magic by releasing it through the symbols.”

           Raph shook his head. “I’m starting to feel like this is way above my paygrade.”

           “You’ve done this before Raph,” Don said.

           “That’s the point,” Raph said. “I’ve done it, not talked about it.  When I’m in a fight and I know I’ve got a weapon, I can get to that weapon no matter where it is.  Even if it’s inside of me.  What I can’t do is talk it into coming out.”

           “But talking about it is what makes you aware of the fact that it _is_ inside you,” Leo said.

           “We’re already aware of that ‘cause Donny did it,” Mikey said. “If Donny can do it, then we can do it too.  Right, Sensei?”

           “That is the hoped for outcome,” Master Splinter said. “Let us see what comes of this exercise.  Focus, all of you.  Concentrate on what you feel in your heart and deepest soul.  Access your inner being and connect to your chi.”

           His sons dutifully closed their eyes, breathing deeply and steadily to calm themselves. Master Splinter watched, noting that one of Michelangelo’s eyes would pop open from time to time so that he could glance at his brothers, and that a grimace periodically crossed Raphael’s countenance.

           Only Leonardo and Donatello seemed fully entranced, both doing their utmost to focus internally. In a matter of minutes, the symbols on Donatello’s arm began to glow, the radiance soon encompassing his entire body.

           Then the symbols on Leonardo’s arm began to shimmer as well. The light radiated outward, climbing in both directions along his arm, but then fizzled out.

           Suddenly Donatello gasped and his eyes snapped open. The glow from the warder symbols faded quickly and Don slumped sideways.

           “Donny! Are ya’ okay buddy?” Raph asked, springing over to help his brother sit back up.

           “I’m okay,” Don said, though he looked woozy. “That took more energy than it did last night.  I guess the adrenaline gave me a power boost.”

           “I managed to tap into the magic too, but I couldn’t bring it up to full force,” Leo said. “It’s a little draining.”

           “I guess me and Mikey are the duds,” Raph said. “I didn’t even come close to feeling any magic.”

           Mikey lifted a hand. “I didn’t even know where to go to look for it.  I think I’m just gonna stay close to Donny when we’re hunting.”

           “Maybe we’re meant to be the muscle,” Raph said. “Leo’s got those dreams giving him helpful hints and now Donny’s got a magical power boost.  Somebody’s got to do the heavy lifting.”

           “As you said earlier Raphael, you will have the weapon when you need it,” Master Splinter said. “You achieve the deepest concentration and connection to your chi during a battle.  Michelangelo as well.  Inaction does not suit either of you.”

           “We should probably head back to HQ now,” Leo said as he stood up and bowed to Master Splinter. “Hopefully Mr. Hidesato has returned and we can figure out which creature it was that I dreamt about last night.”

           The other three turtles rose as well, each bowing to their father. He walked with them back to where they’d parked the shell sleds.

           “Ya’ know, at this rate it’s gonna take a long time for us to collect all of those escaped creatures,” Raph said. “Be nice if there was a way to get that magical helping hand we’re supposed to be getting to point us at the damn yokai.”

           “Magic does not function in that way, Raphael. Though it works in conjunction with the laws of nature, it also acts upon things by way of an invisible ether.  It is spirituality, or the art of changing consciousness according to one's will.  It is not controllable until you are able to access your inner being, and even then you will only be privy to a microcosm of that which is magical,” Master Splinter explained.

           “So what you’re saying is that magic ain’t like a compass,” Raph said. “See, this is why I’ve never liked this magic stuff.  It makes things way more complicated than they need to be.”

           “We’ll be back in a couple of days to see how you’re doing Father,” Leo said. “Call us if you need anything.”

           “I will, my son. Give Mr. Hidesato my regards.  Take care of yourselves and each other,” Master Splinter urged the turtles as they sped away.

           Back at HQ they found that Mr. Hidesato had returned and was seated at the desk in the office, looking through some of the warder journals. He closed them as the turtles entered, giving them his full attention.

           “Your father is well, I trust?” Mr. Hidesato asked.

           “Yes he is, thank you,” Leo said politely, sitting down opposite him. “He sends his regards and his thanks for the pastries.  We took some of them to him since fresh baked goods are a rare treat for all of us.”

           “I would imagine your lives have been filled with many difficulties,” Mr. Hidesato said. “It is quite a feat in itself to remain unnoticed in a city of this size.”

           “We haven’t gone completely unnoticed,” Leo said. “We’ve certainly made our fair share of enemies out of those who prey upon the helpless.”

           “Then becoming warders seems a natural evolution,” Mr. Hidesato said. “It is our job to protect the innocent from the evil these yokai do.”

           “Be nice if once they're caught, they got locked up in a way that they couldn’t get out again,” Raph said.

           “That is another thing that must someday evolve,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Perhaps with your assistance, we can find a way to create a permanent form of confinement.”

           “Perhaps,” Leo said noncommittally. “For now, we should concentrate on catching the ones that have escaped.  I had another dream and we’re hoping it will make more sense to you than it has to us.”

           As Leo began describing his dream, his brothers sat down nearby. Mr. Hidesato gave Leo his full attention, nodding as the young turtle reached the end of his tale.

           “The colors you described; the blue, red, and then purple, narrowed the field considerably, but when you said that it asked you to choose a color, I knew it could only be one yokai,” Mr. Hidesato said. “I am sure the creature in your dream was the Aka manto.”

            “Doesn’t that mean ‘red cloak’ or ‘red vest’?” Don asked.

           “Yes. The Aka manto manifested from an urban legend related to toilets,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           “Toilets? Now we’re hunting down creatures in toilets?” Mikey asked, his voice rising in pitch.  “That has to be the grossest thing ever!”

           “Anything can be cursed,” Mr. Hidesato said. “This particular phenomenon has countless variations along the same theme and usually takes place in a specific stall in a specific bathroom.  The manifestation is said to have come about originally in the restrooms of elementary schools.”

           “Why elementary schools?” Don asked.

           “It is thought that the creature was created from the anxiety inherent in being a student. The Aka manto asks children an impossible question to which any answer results in something terrible.  The feeling it evokes is not too different from having to answer a difficult test problem, or a teacher’s question in front of an entire classroom when one doesn’t know the answer.”

           “The worry over being teased adding to the anxiety,” Leo said.

           “What’s the terrible thing that happens when ya’ can’t answer this Aka manto’s question? And what is the question?” Raph asked.

           “The question is quite simply ‘Do you want red paper or blue paper?’. Sometimes the choice will be purple paper, sometimes white,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           “The colors from my dream,” Leo said.

           “How is that an impossible question?” Raph asked. “Just grab what’s on the roll.”

           “There will be no paper on the roll, that is the point,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Even should a clever person bring their own toilet paper with them, it will vanish.  The Aka manto forces you to make a choice.”

           “What happens when you do?” Don asked.

           “The repercussions are as varied as the color choices,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Choosing red paper may get you stabbed and sliced up so violently that blood sprays everywhere, making it appear that you are wearing a bright red cloak.  It might get your skin flayed so that it hangs off your back like a red cape.”

           “I guess choosing blue isn’t much better,” Mikey said, scowling with disgust.

           “Choosing blue also results in blood loss. In this case, the blood is sucked out of the body, leaving the person dead and blue-faced on the floor,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Sometimes when the choices are either purple or white and one of those is picked, the person may be allowed to escape unharmed, or it may cause them to be pulled down through the toilet into the plumbing.”

           “What happens if you pick a random color?” Mikey asked.

           “Usually an equally horrible death,” Mr. Hidesato said. “For instance the person may find their face is being pushed down into the dirty toilet water and held there until they drown.  In some cases, the legend has it that whatever the paper option or choice made, the person who comes into contact with the Aka manto simply disappears.”

           “Talk about a creature getting you when you’re at your most vulnerable,” Don said.

           “So what happens if you tell it you don’t need any paper?” Mikey asked.

           “Ah, now in some instances that will help you to escape,” Mr. Hidesato answered. “That response could buy you enough time to run out of the restroom before anything happens.  The legend of the Aka manto is old and as varied as the different regions from whence it arose.”

           “Which means that the one who escaped into New York could be doing any number of things to its victims,” Leo said.

           “It also means it could be anywhere,” Don said. “Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to how many restrooms there are in this city?”

           “No,” Raph said.

           “Unfortunately, schools are in session during this time of year,” Don said. “I suppose our best bet is to see if there are any reports of any of the things you’ve described happening to people.  Leo, did you get any sense of your locale in that dream?  Any landmarks?”

           “I was inside someplace,” Leo said, recalling the dream. “There were cream colored brick walls and lights.  I suppose it could have been a bathroom.  Wait, I remember flowers.  I saw a vase of flowers and I could smell them, so they must have been real.”

           “I don’t know a damn thing about school bathrooms, but I kinda doubt they get decorated with flowers,” Raph said.

           Don suddenly snapped his fingers, straightening in his chair. “Bryant Park!” he exclaimed.  “Fresh flowers!”

           “We ain’t looking for a park, Donny. We’re trying to find a haunted restroom,” Raph said.

           “There’s a public bathroom in Bryant Park,” Don said. “The bathrooms were recently renovated there to the tune of about three hundred thousand dollars.  One of the things it boasts is fresh flowers.  The pictures I saw of the interior showed both cream and white colored bricks.”

           “I thought this thing haunted school bathrooms,” Raph said.

           “If it’s drawn to people who are feeling anxious, then the Bryant Park bathroom is as good a place as any to find them,” Don said. “The people who use them are mostly tourists.  We’ve seen how anxious strangers are when they’re in this city for the first time.  They get lost, they need to use a restroom, and it’s hard to find a public toilet in New York.”

           “Worse yet if you’re doing one of those tour things and you’re on a schedule,” Mikey said. At the odd looks his brothers gave him, he added, “What?  I read.”

           “We can certainly double check,” Don said. “There are bound to be reports of strange deaths or disappearances in the area of the park.  Those restrooms are regularly maintained, so none of the city’s transient population go into them.  If the creature is attacking people in there, someone will notice immediately.”

            “See what you can find out Donny,” Leo said.

           “Right away boss,” Don said, heading into the war room.

           “So let’s say we track this Aka manto to Bryant Park, how do we capture it?” Raph asked. “Don’t tell me we gotta flush the coin down a toilet.”

           Mr. Hidesato stared at him, a discomfited look on his face.

           Raph sat forward. “We gotta flush the coin?”

           “The coin does have to go into the toilet,” Mr. Hidesato admitted, shrugging his shoulders. “You needn’t flush, but it will have to be retrieved from the bowl once the Aka manto has been drawn into the coin.”

           “I volunteer Mikey,” Raph said.

           “I think Raph should do it,” Mikey said at the exact same moment.

           “Do what?” Don asked, returning to the room.

           “Throw the coin in the toilet,” Raph said. “That was fast.  Ya’ find something?”

           “No human remains, bloody or otherwise, but a couple of tourists have gone missing in the vicinity of Bryant Park,” Don said.

           “Guess they picked the wrong color,” Mikey said.

           “Men or women?” Leo asked.

           “One of each,” Don said. “That makes sense.  The stalls for both restrooms are probably back to back.”

           “What time of day? Has anyone seen anything?” Leo asked.

           “According to the reports, the people who’ve reported the pair missing say it happened late,” Don said. “They split off from friends to look for a bathroom.  The police haven’t yet associated it with the Bryant Park bathrooms because they close at ten.  At least, that’s when the attendants are supposed to lock up.  None of them remember seeing either of the missing people.”

           “The Aka manto would appear to them as an attendant in order to lure them inside,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Locks and security systems would be nothing to it.”

           “That denotes a certain amount of intellect,” Don said. “Not to mention adaptability.”

           “These creatures should not be underestimated,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Some of them are extremely cunning.  The longer they are out there, the more acclimated they will become to western society.”

           “Marvelous,” Raph said. “As if catching them ain’t challenging enough.”

           “Yeah, we might even find one driving a cab,” Mikey said with a grin.

           “I ain’t afraid of no ghost,” Don replied, laughing.

           “Okay you two, how about we get back to our own problem,” Leo said, shaking his head indulgently. “I’m going to guess that the Aka manto has to believe it has a victim trapped in a stall so that it will make an appearance, otherwise tossing the coin into a random toilet won’t work.”

           “You are correct,” Mr. Hidesato said. “The creature must be in the stall with its victim.”

           “We ain’t sticking one of our pals in a bathroom stall,” Raph said quickly. “There’s no room to maneuver.  They couldn’t get out of our way.”

           “I’ll do it,” Leo said. He saw how his brothers were looking at him.  “If I bundle up so it can’t see me and I keep the warder symbols hidden, it should think I’m just another human looking for a place to relieve himself.”

           “And how are ya’ gonna move around with a bunch of clothes weighing ya’ down?” Raph asked. “Remember what happened to Mikey when the Dodomeki went after him.”

           “I won’t wear anything too loose fitting,” Leo said.

           “A large pullover with a hood would cover your upper half,” Don said. “Your hands won’t matter, they’d just look like you were wearing green gloves.  You could wear sweat pants with a drawstring waist and I could tape some brown felt to the tops of your feet to look like shoes.”

           “That means ya’ can’t carry your swords,” Raph said.

           “They will not do any good against an Aka manto,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           “I’ll still have my belt on under the clothes,” Leo said. “The outfit is two separate pieces, so I can reach my knife.”

           “Once the Aka manto accosts you and gives you your choice, you should answer immediately,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Hesitation will mean it chooses a color for you.”

           “And what do I say?” Leo asked.

           “Past warders have had the best luck by responding, “I choose no paper”. That will cause the Aka manto to falter as it tries to process your unusual answer,” Mr. Hidesato said.

           “Like a computer program when an incorrect response has been input,” Don said.

           “Bet a computer program don’t suck the blood out of the guy sitting at the keyboard,” Raph said.

           “Maybe I should be the one playing decoy,” Don said. “I’m the one with the most protection.”

           “It’ll be okay, Donny. I think I’m meant to do this,” Leo said.  “That’s the sense I got from my dream.  I was able to access the magic in the symbols for a second or two earlier and I’ll be able to do that again if I need to.  A couple of seconds should be enough time for me to toss a coin into the toilet.”

           Mr. Hidesato looked from him to Don and back. “You practiced calling for the magic in your symbols?”

           “We all did,” Leo said. “We intend to continue practicing until we’re all able to do it.  Our father raised us to be spiritually aware and to connect to our inner selves.  It’s simply a matter of finding the right path to connect us to the symbols.”

           “Impressive,” Mr. Hidesato said, his manner thoughtful. He changed the subject.  “You will find a closet filled with clothing in the first guest bedroom on the second floor.  My uncle kept them for guests and for the occasional clandestine trip outdoors.  Perhaps the items you require will be in there.”

           A hint of dismissal was in his tone and Leo stood up, followed by his brothers. “We’ll go check the closet.  I want to be ready to go get the Aka manto tonight.”

           “I made a run to the grocers,” Mr. Hidesato said. “Dinner will be at eight.”

           “I’ll come down and help you with it,” Mikey said, avoiding a glance in Raph’s direction.

           “That would be appreciated. Thank you,” Mr. Hidesato said as the brothers left the office.

           Once upstairs, they located the closet and began rummaging through it in search of clothing that would not only fit Leo, but would be suitable to his task.

           “I don’t get why ya’ gotta be front and center on this one,” Raph griped at Leo.

           “Look at it this way, Raph. You didn’t want to reach into a toilet, and now you don’t have to,” Leo said.

           “Spare me the gallows humor Leo,” Raph grumbled. “Ya’ still got a gimp leg full of stitches.  How are ya’ gonna move fast if ya’ need to?”

           “Moving fast isn’t going to be a problem in a tiny stall,” Mikey said. “Moving smart is.  All the fussing in the world won’t change what Leo feels like he’s got to do.”

           “Let him speak his piece, Mikey. Someone should give voice to the things we ought to be concerned about,” Leo said.  “Otherwise, we might overlook something important.”

           “Glad ya’ feel that way,” Raph said. “’Cause here’s a concern; what happens if things go sideways?  You’ll be in the stall, you’ll have the coin, and you’ll have the wax tool.  We’ll be standing outside holding our dicks in our hands hoping ya’ don’t get dead.”

           “All of our hunts so far have been joint ventures, Leo. He has a point,” Don said.

           “We need a second wax tool,” Leo said, trying on a pair of sweat pants.

           “What? What the hell does that have to do with what we’re talking about?” Raph asked.

           “Nothing. It was just something that came to mind,” Leo said, tightening the string in the waist band and then doing some squats to ensure he could move.  “If we ever have to separate to hunt more than one yokai.”

           “We can ask Mr. H about that at dinner,” Don said. “Back to Raph’s point?”

           “Don’t stand around outside,” Leo said, looking up at Raph. “We’re assuming the thing will be disguised as an attendant and will let me in, right?  So after it follows me in, you follow it.  I’ll make sure it stays focused on me.  That way you’ll be close if something sounds as though it’s gone wrong.  Don and Mikey will have to remain outside to prevent anyone else from entering the building.”

           “What happens if something does go wrong? Ya’ want I should skewer it with my non-magical sai?” Raph asked.

           “No, I want you to use the other weapon available to you,” Leo said, looking pointedly at the symbol on Raph’s arm.

           Raph stared at him. “I couldn’t get it up at all earlier.  Now you’re telling me you’re gonna stake your life on me making this shit work?”

           “That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” Leo stopped digging through clothes to look Raph directly in the eye.  “There’s one thing I can always count on, and it’s that you’ll have my back no matter what.  Like Master Splinter said, you’re the most connected to your chi during a fight.  Now that you’re aware of the weapon, you’ll be able to use the weapon.”

           “This is fucking insane,” Raph said, rolling his eyes. “If this is how we gotta do it, then I’m in.  I sure as shell hope I don’t have to break out an ‘I told ya’ so’.”

           “So do I,” Leo said, accepting a pullover from Don and trying it on.

           His disguise selected, the turtles returned the remaining clothes to the closet and went back downstairs. Tossing his getup over the back of the couch, Leo selected a journal from those on the coffee table and sat down to read.  He was happy to note that Mr. Hidesato still hadn’t started returning them to the shelves again.

           Don and Mikey went to work scanning journal pages into the new computer program. Raph left the office but returned twenty minutes later with a platter of sandwiches and bottled water.

           The remainder of the afternoon and early evening passed in that manner. After Mikey went to the kitchen to help with dinner, Raph took his spot in the war room.  He turned one of the televisions to a ball game while he helped Don scan and label journals.  Wanting the company, Leo joined them.

           At dinner, the brothers discussed football and nothing else. Mr. Hidesato seemed to sense their need for a break from talk of escaped creatures and entered into the discussion, asking questions about the game and how it was played.

           After cleaning up the dinner things, the turtles retired to the media room to watch a movie. It felt nice to recline the leather seats and put their feet up, a luxury they hadn’t ever experienced before staying in the Hidesato house.

           When it neared time for them to depart, the group met Mr. Hidesato in the office. Leo pulled on his clothes and Don taped the fake shoes to the tops of his feet.  With the hood pulled up and cinched, he would pass for a human, as long as he kept his head down.

           Raph took Leo’s swords and scabbards, fastening them to his shell so they’d be handy. After Leo accepted the trap coin and wax tool from Mr. Hidesato, the turtles departed the house on their shell sleds.

           The turtles did not visit Bryant Park often. It was a popular destination for both locals and tourists and was home to a popular ice rink.  The park was also adjacent to the New York Public Library and surrounded by skyscrapers. It was not a great place for mutants who wanted to avoid being seen.

           They timed their arrival to coincide with closing hours. Fortunately the lush gardens provided the turtles with hiding places as they waited for the park to completely clear of guests. 

           Stationed near the bathrooms, the turtles watched as attendants locked the gate that led from the street side to the small building. Having already locked the main door, the attendants left for the night.

           Once it appeared they had the park to themselves, the turtles crept out of hiding. Don and Mikey were stationed in positions where they would have views of the street side and park side of the building.

           Adjusting his hood, Leo made certain the trap coin and wax tool were within easy reach and set off down the sidewalk. Raphael kept to the shrubbery, remaining out of sight, staying far enough back so his presence wouldn’t be sensed by the entity they hunted.

           Leo approached the building which housed the bathrooms, shuffling along at a quick pace as though anxious to reach his destination. An attendant appeared suddenly, watching as Leo drew closer.

           The attendant wore the signature gray and green Bryant Park uniform, a ball cap pulled low over his eyes. “Seeking the facilities, sir?” he asked, his voice deep and low.

           “Yes,” Leo answered swiftly. “Please tell me you’re open.  I’m desperate.”

           “Then enter,” the attendant said. With a wave of his hand, the outer door swung inwards, granting Leo access.

           Leo hesitated in the hall. “The men’s room.  It’s this way?” he asked, pointing to the right.

           The attendant followed him inside and nodded. “Yes sir.  To the right.”

           “You don’t know how grateful I am to find this restroom open,” Leo prattled on, keeping the attendant in the corner of his eye. He was glad to see the man was staying with him.  “It’s so late and the park itself is closed.”

           Though the attendant stood in the center of the men’s restroom, he did not reply as Leo ducked into the stall on the farthest end of the row.

           “This has got to be the nicest public restroom I’ve ever visited,” Leo said, feeling silly at making such inane small talk.

           “Yes,” the attendant rumbled, letting Leo know he was still nearby.

           For an embarrassing few minutes Leo wondered if perhaps he’d have to sound as if he was actually using the toilet. He turned to face the door and sat down, shifting so that the sanitary wrap on the toilet seat would crinkle.

           When he’d entered, Leo had noticed a full roll of toilet paper on the holder, but now when he glanced at it, he saw that it was empty.

           Uncertain as to whether he was supposed to ask about the paper, Leo reached towards the empty roll. As he did so, the stall door suddenly opened.

           Standing in the doorway was a tall entity, easily eight feet in height. It wore a red cloak that swept the ground, a red turban wound around its head, and a red scarf which covered its mouth and nose.  All that showed of its face was very white, its sunken eyes dark red in color.

           A strange raspy voice issued forth to ask, “Do you want red paper or blue paper?”

           It was then that Leo realized he was in an awkward position and unable to reach the trap coin unless he leaned over and took his eyes off the Aka manto. Standing up, he said, “I choose no paper.”

           Jamming his hand into his pants pocket, Leo grasped the trap coin and began to draw it out. That was when the creature announced, “Choice made!”

           The air around Leo began to swirl as a hard downdraft hit him. Looking down, Leo saw the floor disappearing into a whirling vortex.

           Leaping just before he lost his footing, Leo landed on the toilet seat. The pull of the vortex was incredibly strong, taking the taped felt ‘shoes’ right off his feet, and Leo felt himself being drawn into it.

           “Leo! Give me your hand!”

           Looking up, Leo saw Raphael leaning over the wall dividing their two stalls. Fighting the turbulence, Leo used every ounce of strength to lift his hand and catch hold of Raph’s.

           “Coin!” Raph yelled.

           Squinting his eyes against the rush of the wind, Leo managed to pull his hand out of his pocket. Sliding his arm around behind his shell, he held his breath and dropped the coin.

           A loud screech of anger sounded from the Aka manto and it rushed forward. At the exact same moment, Raph yanked up on Leo’s arm, snatching him off the toilet seat and slamming him into the dividing wall.

           The brothers clung to each other as the Aka manto plunged into the toilet, its garments turning the inside of the bowl a bright red. Slowly the vortex died down and the floor tiles snapped back into place.

           Once the flooring was again secure, Raph released his brother. Leo extracted the wax tool from his belt and reached into the toilet to retrieve the coin.  He was counting off the seconds when the stall door opened to admit Raph.

           “Ya’ got it?” Raph asked.

           Leo exhaled heavily and held up the coin. “Got it.  Thanks Raph.  I guess you didn’t have to use your warder symbols.”

           “Are ya’ kidding me? The wind in here was so strong it almost sucked me under the dividing wall.  All I could think about was saving your butt and the symbols lit up like a Christmas tree.  When I jumped for the top of the wall, it was like I had jets stuck to the bottoms of my feet,” Raph said.

           “That’s . . . that’s different from how it worked for Don,” Leo said, astonished.

           “No shit. Come on, let’s blow this joint.  There’s too many people passing by on the sidewalk and all that foot traffic is making our bro’s nervous,” Raph said.

           They exited the men’s room and started for the main door. Before they reached it, Leo stopped his brother.

           “Thanks Raph. You were right that I shouldn’t have tried to do this alone,” Leo told him.

           “Stow it. Ya’ ain’t never alone and ya’ ain’t never gonna be alone,” Raph said.  “Whether that’s a blessing or a curse, it’s just the way it is.”

           “It’s most definitely a blessing,” Leo said as they left the building.

 

End Aka manto


	10. Night of the Rokujo No Miyasudokoro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 7,225  
> Rated: R 2k3 violence, language, mild tcest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Preview art commissioned from the very talented FaithfulWhispers  
> 

            “So~o, did you two have fun playing in the bathroom?” Mikey asked when he saw Leo and Raph approaching the spot where he and Don were hiding.

            “Yeah, it was peachy,” Raph said.  “Especially if ya’ like getting sucked down into the underworld by a tornado.”

            “By a what?” Don asked, looking from Raph to Leo.

            “I’ll tell ya’ when we get back to HQ and see Mr. H so I don’t have to tell it twice,” Raph said.  “I need a shower.”

            The foursome made it out of Bryant Park without being seen and took their shell sleds back to Mr. Hidesato’s house.  Once they were inside, Raph pushed Leo towards the stairs.

            “Give me the coin,” Raph said.  “I can tell the story while you go take a bath.  I know ya’ can’t get them stitches wet or I’d drag ya’ into the shower with me.”

            “I could check those stiches now,” Don offered.

            “Why don’t ya’ do that, Donny?  Go with Leo and help him get cleaned up.  Just don’t do anything but bathe,” Raph said.  “Leo owes me.”  

            “And you don’t do anything but turn over that coin and make a report,” Don said.  “No fighting with Mr. H.”

            Leo handed the trap coin and wax tool to Raph before going upstairs with Donatello.  Mikey stayed with Raph and they both headed for the office where they found Mr. Hidesato waiting for them.

            “I thought I heard all of your voices,” Mr. Hidesato said as he looked up from the papers he was studying.  “Is everyone all right?  Was Leonardo able to capture the Aka manto?”

            Raph answered the last question by flipping the trap coin at Mr. Hidesato, which the man caught neatly.  “We’re all just peachy.  Trapping creatures in bathrooms is messy business.  My bros went up to take a bath and that’s where I’m headed too.”

           Setting the wax tool on the desk, Raph turned to leave.  “A moment please,” Mr. Hidesato said, stopping him.  “The capture, was it difficult?  Did Leonardo access the power in his warder symbols?”

            “He didn’t, I did,” Raph answered shortly.

            Mikey glanced from his brother to Mr. Hidesato.  It was clear the pair was having a war of wills.

           “How about some details, Raph? You did say you’d tell the whole story once we got back here,” Mikey said.  “I kind of need to know how you worked your mojo if I’m ever gonna get mine going.”

           Rather than look at Mr. Hidesato while he recounted the night’s events, Raph kept his eyes on Mikey. When Raph finished speaking, Mikey said, “Whoa, that’s pretty . . . awesome!”

           “Your emotions activated the symbols and they in turn enhanced what you already have in abundance; your strength,” Mr. Hidesato said. “That is quite fascinating.”

           “Glad ya’ think so,” Raph said, sounding unimpressed. “We done with the Q and A?  I wanna take a shower.”

           “Yes, yes, of course,” Mr. Hidesato said absently. His eyes were on the bookshelves containing warder journals.  “Have a restful evening.  Please give my regards to your brothers.”

           Raph rolled his eyes and left without another word. He and Mikey showered together, scrubbing each other’s carapaces, something that was much easier to do with a little help.  Once they had dried off, the pair went to the bedroom they’d shared the night before and found both Don and Leo had beaten them there.

           “No bloodshed?” Don asked, directing the question to Mikey.

           “None,” Mikey assured him. “Did you get the story?”

           “Leo told it to me,” Don said. “So I guess this proves that the warder power is tied to our emotions and our own personal métiers.”

           “Yeah, like Raph is strong so it makes him stronger,” Mikey said.

           “Thanks for clarifying that,” Raph said, his focus on Leo, who sat cross-legged on one of the mattresses. Kneeling in front of him, Raph wrapped a hand around the back of Leo’s head and leaned in for a kiss.

           “Looks like Raph has some adrenaline to work off,” Don said, grinning.

           Breaking the kiss, Raph stared hungrily into Leo’s eyes and said, “Ya’ owe me a reward for saving your ass.”

           “Really?” Leo asked with feigned innocence. “What exactly do you want?”

           “Your ass,” Raph answered.

           “Ooh Mikey, maybe we should move our mattresses into the other room,” Don said.

           “And miss the show?” Mikey said with mock indignation.

           “I don’t care if ya’ stay and watch or join in,” Raph said, a lecherous tone in his voice. “It ain’t like Leo can’t handle it.”

           “Grab the lights Mikey, we’re not going anywhere,” Don said.

           After an enjoyable hour caring for each other’s needs, the brothers fell asleep together. When Leo next woke, it was mid-morning.  As he sat up to look around at his still sleeping brothers, he realized that he hadn’t had any dreams.

           Don stirred when Leo untangled himself from his brothers’ limbs to climb out of bed.

           “Morning already?” Don asked sleepily.

            “Afraid so,” Leo whispered.  “I’ll be in the dojo whenever you guys are ready.  No rush.”

            Murmuring something unintelligible, Don went back to sleep.  After paying a visit to the bathroom for a quick sponge bath, Leo went down to the kitchen to brew some tea.  While he waited for the water to boil, he stood at the kitchen window looking out into the garden.

            Leo hadn’t paid much attention to the garden, but he noticed that the older trees growing there were quite tall and provided enough cover that the grounds couldn’t be seen from overhead.  The property was surrounded by a high, rock wall, blocking the view into the grounds from nearby homes.

            When his tea was ready, Leo returned to the window to drink it while continuing to study the garden.  The sunshine was calling to him and after he rinsed his cup, Leo checked the yard maintenance calendar and saw that the grounds crew wasn’t scheduled for the day.

            Deciding to go outside, Leo wrote a quick note on the chalkboard so his brothers would know to join him and then exited the house by way of the door in the laundry room.

            After carefully checking that there was no way for him to be seen, Leo took a few minutes to stretch and then began to go through a Tai chi routine.  He enjoyed how the exercise combined precise movements and breathing techniques, and how the flow from one position into the next was almost meditative.

            It wasn’t long before Raph joined him.  Without saying a word, Raph stepped into place alongside Leo and picked up his brother’s movements so that they were going through the routine in tandem.  Mikey and Don appeared a few minutes later and fell into step with their brothers.

            When they reached the end of their routine, the brothers bowed to one another and then Leo noticed that Mr. Hidesato was seated on a bench not far from them.  None of the turtles had heard or seen him when he entered the garden.

            “I hope you do not mind if I observe your practice session,” Mr. Hidesato said when he realized that Leo had seen him.  “I have had no opportunity to review your skill set.”

            “You won’t disturb us,” Leo assured him.  “We’re used to having someone watch us practice.”

            “Review our skill set he says,” Raph said in an aside to Mikey.  “We’ve already caught eight of his precious creatures, what the hell is there for him to review?”

            “Maybe he just likes the way you move,” Mikey said, teasing his brother.  Raph swatted at him, but Mikey back flipped out of reach.

            Leo called for their attention and once he had it, said, “Let’s spar for a bit.  Mikey, since you’re so determined to face off with Raph this morning, the two of you can go first.”

            Moving to one side with Don, Leo gave the command for his brothers to begin.  The fresh air seemed to bring an added pep to their movements, with Mikey just edging Raph out on takedowns.

            Because of Leo’s stitches, Don refused to allow him to go full out during their sparring session, so they modified it to accommodate Leo’s injury.  After they were done, Don faced off with Mikey in order to get in a full workout.

            When practice was over, the turtles turned towards the house but Leo stopped when he came abreast of Mr. Hidesato.

            “You four fight well,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It is easy to see that you have practiced martial arts for most of your lives.”

            “All of our lives,” Leo said, correcting him.  “Almost from the moment we were mutated.  Master Splinter knew that our very survival depended on our ability to master ninjitsu and stealth.”

            “Sit with me for a moment,” Mr. Hidesato said, waving a hand towards the bench.

            Leo glanced at his brothers, who had paused alongside him.  “We’ll start breakfast,” Don said.  “Join us when you can.”

            “Brunch,” Mikey said as they continued on to the house.  “When it’s after ten it’s brunch.”

            “Who the hell cares what it’s called as long as we eat?” Raph asked.

            After they disappeared into the house, silence fell on the garden.  Leo sat down next to Mr. Hidesato and allowed the warmth of the sun to seep into his skin.

            “My brothers and I should bring a blanket out here and bask in the sunlight,” Leo said.  “It’s not often we get that chance.”

            “Uncle Akio liked his privacy,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “You need not worry that you will be seen as long as you refer to the posted schedules.”

            “At least until the trees begin to lose their leaves for the winter,” Leo said.

            “Your brother told me of last night’s capture,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “The magic in your symbols seems to not only be accessible through strong emotions, but also by your connection to one another.”

            “They are often the same,” Leo said.  “We have a . . . unique bond with each other.”

            Mr. Hidesato nodded, his eyes fixed on the garden.  “I have drawn a certain conclusion from some of your interactions.  I am not asking for verification; I simply want to assure you that I understand.”

            Leo noticed that he didn’t say whether he approved or disapproved.  It didn’t much matter to Leo either way, but he felt the need to be sure that Mr. Hidesato knew the relationship he and his brothers had wasn’t negotiable.

            “We aren’t human,” Leo said, “and we are the only four of our kind.”

            “It is not necessary for you to justify your activities to me,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “I’m not.  I’m offering an insight into who we are,” Leo explained.  “We have a long road ahead of us if we’re going to recapture all of the escaped creatures.  Our focus and commitment is towards that goal, but you must understand that our first instincts will always be to protect each other.  Even if that means allowing a creature to escape.”

            “I am coming to realize that more with each passing day,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Raphael has made it clear to me almost from the beginning that he prizes his siblings and friends above all else.  I respect his protective nature, though I know he does not do me the same courtesy.”

            “My brother is slow to trust,” Leo said.  “The two of you haven’t seen eye to eye on how some of our hunts should have been approached.”

            “I fear that I am too goal oriented,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “My objectives often overlook the means necessary to reach them.  If I am to guide your quest, I will have to modify my methods to take into account your unique . . . relationships.”

            “Helping us to know every possible danger offered by any creature we are sent to capture would go a long way towards earning my brothers’ trust,” Leo said.  “It’s best if you aren’t the one to suggest that someone act as bait.”

            “Thank you, I will keep those suggestions in mind,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Regarding the connection the four of you have, it came to me after Donatello’s remarkable display of power that your bond is the reason you are able to tap into that magic.”

            Leo appeared thoughtful.  “The way Raph was able to access the warder magic last night has me wondering the same thing.  Surely there were members of your clan who were close in the way that we are.  Couples with both an emotional and physical bond.  You said the ability to tap into the magic contained in the symbols and wield that power as a combat tool was almost unheard of.  That means it’s been done before.”

            “I have a vague memory of someone in our line with that ability,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Perhaps the account was one I read in a journal.”

            Up to that point, Mr. Hidesato had been forthright in his conversation, but Leo noticed that his response now was both short and vague.  A shutter had come down to cover Mr. Hidesato’s feelings and Leo had to wonder what the man was still hiding from them.

            “Reading through the journals has been one of my priorities,” Leo said carefully.  “There are many of them and some are difficult to decipher.  If I could find the one that makes reference to the warder symbols, it might help my brothers and me to learn how to more easily access the magic in them.”

            “My Father taught me a mental exercise that is meant to focus one’s inner power through the symbols,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It was meant as a way to strengthen the protections offered by the symbols.  Perhaps if I teach this to you and your brothers, you can also use it to further enhance your own unique magical weapons.”

            “It would be good if we could at least find the switch that turns that power on when we need it, rather than waiting for an emotional overload to do the trick,” Leo said dryly.  “In a battle, timing is everything.”

            Movement from the direction of the house drew Leo’s attention and he looked up to see Mikey walking towards them.  “Hey, food’s getting cold.  You coming inside today or what?”

            “Please excuse me,” Leo told Mr. Hidesato as he stood up.  “Meals are very important to my semi-rude brother.”

            “I’m not rude,” Mikey protested, “I’m direct.  Have you eaten Mr. H?  There’s more than enough.”

            “Thank you, Michelangelo.  I had breakfast earlier,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “There are conference calls I must make in a half hour which will keep me inside for the remainder of the day.  I am going to enjoy the outdoors while I can.”

            “Boy, do we ever know that feeling,” Mikey said as he walked away with Leo.

            Don and Raph were at the kitchen table when Leo came inside and he joined them.  Scooping eggs onto his plate, Leo helped himself to bacon and toast, giving Mikey a grateful smile when his brother put a fresh cup of tea in front of him.

            “You two seemed pretty cozy.  Was he critiquing our performance?” Don asked.

            “Since he ain’t shown us anything, he’d do best to keep his mouth shut,” Raph said before taking a bite of toast.

            “He wanted to talk about how we access the magic in our warder brands,” Leo told them.  “He knows about our relationship.”

            Don dropped his fork and Raph set his glass of milk down hard.  Only Mikey seemed unperturbed by that revelation, calmly chomping down a slice of bacon.

            “How does he know?  We’ve done nothing overt in front of him,” Don said.

            “What Don wants to know is if he’s spying on us,” Raph said gruffly.

            Leo shook his head.  “Mr. Hidesato is a man who notices things and reaches conclusions based on his observances.  He’s not an easy man to keep secrets from.”

            “It didn’t look like knowing we’re together bothered him,” Mikey said.

            “Apparently it doesn’t,” Leo said.  “He was more fascinated by the idea that our special bond is part of the reason we’re able to turn our symbols into weapons.”

            “There had to have been warder couples in the past,” Don said.  “Living, loving, and hunting together the way we do.”

            Leo took a sip of tea before saying, “I mentioned that as well.  To be honest, up until then we were having a nice, open conversation.  When I asked about past warders with that ability, Mr. Hidesato got a bit cagey.”

            Raph snorted.  “So he’s hiding something still.  Big surprise.  Did ya’ call him out on it?”

            “What would be the point?” Leo asked, frowning at his brother.  “He’s adept at side-stepping direct questions.  I have a feeling that every answer we need is in those journals.  Those are what we should spend our free time on.”

            “Well the three of ya’ can slog through those journals on your own for a while,” Raph said as he got up to deposit his plate and utensils into the dishwasher.  “I’ve got a date with the weights and punching bag downstairs.”

            He left his brothers to finish their meal.  The remaining three turtles ate in silence for a few minutes and then Don said, “Mr. H is so fixated on recapturing those creatures that we could be ritualistically sacrificing goats in the kitchen and he wouldn’t care.”

            “Your point?” Leo asked.

            “Don’s point is what’s he gonna be like when we’ve got all those creatures safely locked up in the box again,” Mikey said.  “When he doesn’t need us anymore.  He talks about us taking over the family business, but maybe he says that cause right now he’s desperate.”

            “We can’t join the Warder High Council or even have other warder clans become aware of our existence,” Don said.  “How would he explain to them that he’s handing the reins over to successors that they know nothing about?  It’s beginning to sound like the proverbial carrot-and-stick approach to getting us to do this job for him.”

            “I’ve never expressed an interest in accepting this as a life-long commission,” Leo said.  “In fact, I’ve told him that there is a downside to what he’s asking.  He shouldn’t be counting on our desire to own a fancy house to keep us in line.  We’ve explained that we’re doing this because we protect our city.  It’s what we do.”

            “We just want to be certain you maintain a healthy skepticism about Mr. H,” Don said.

            “Yeah, ‘cause you two looked pretty tight sitting out there on that bench together,” Mikey added.

            “The two of you are starting to sound like Raph,” Leo said.  “The lines of communication have to remain open between us, he’s our guide and mentor.  He was raised in a hierarchy; his clan functioned in that manner and so do all the other warders.  Of course he’s going to convey his instructions and concerns through me.  You guys shouldn’t read any more than that into it.”

            “Speaking of reading,” Don said as he got up, “we have a big task ahead of us.  Mikey, you’re going to scan journals for me so I can get to work on the program that will sort and identify entries.”

            “As long as I can watch TV while I do it,” Mikey replied.  “I guess you’re going to be reading journals again today, right Leo?  Hey, you didn’t have one of your dreams last night, did you?”

            Leo finished his tea as he stood up and then began gathering dirty dishes.  “Yes, I’ll be reading again.  No, I didn’t have a dream last night.  I realized that earlier.  I hope that doesn’t mean we’re not going to track down another creature soon.  If we’re not steadily capturing them, they could do a lot of damage.”

            “Not to mention the fact that the other warder clans might feel the need to send someone to take over the job,” Don said.  “They won’t know this city the way we do.”

            “Or care about it,” Mikey said.  “At least according to Mr. H.”

            Once the kitchen was tidy, the brothers went directly to the office to begin their various tasks.  Going to the coffee table, Leo found that the journals he’d placed there had been tidied into stacks.  Seeing that his sorting system had been disarranged, Leo sighed.

            “What’s wrong?” Mikey asked, pausing on his way to the war room.

            “At least he’s not putting them back on the shelves,” Leo replied.  “I need a system like the one Donny uses so I’ll know which of these I’ve read and which hold significant passages.”

            “He’s got stacks of those little colored pieces of paper with the sticky stuff on the back,” Mikey said.  “Pick a color.”

            Eyes twinkling with humor, Leo said, “Blue.”

            Mikey grinned.  “Why’d I even ask?”

            He disappeared into the war room only to reappear a minute later with a cube of blue colored sticky paper and a pen.

            “There, now you can even make notes before you stick these in a journal,” Mikey said, handing over the items with a flourish.

            “Thanks, I think I will,” Leo said.  Grabbing a journal he sat down on the couch to begin reading.

            A couple of hours later Raph entered the office and saw Leo sprawled on the couch, his shell against one arm and his feet up.  His brother was so immersed in the journal he was reading that he seemed not to notice Raph’s presence.

            “Keep sitting in that spot so often and we’ll have to carve your name into the couch,” Raph said.

            “These journals are fascinating,” Leo said, looking up.  “It’s not just about the hunt for creatures, it’s the entire history of the clan.  Their day to day existence and the world they lived in.”

            “It figures you’d get caught up in that stuff,” Raph said, picking up Leo’s feet so he could sit down on the couch.  He dropped his brother’s feet onto his lap and leaned back with his hands behind his head.  “Find anything that’s actually useful?”

            “Verification that the creatures adapt,” Leo said.  “You remember that some of the yokai can have multiples?  Their behavior changes as their environment becomes more industrialized and the population density increases.”

            “What does that mean for us?” Raph asked.

            “It means that we can’t be completely literal in how we hunt these things,” Leo said.  “There are creatures that primarily inhabit mountains.  We have no mountains, but we do have skyscrapers.”

            “Okay, yeah, I can see that,” Raph said.  “Good to know.  Ya’ think they learn to adapt ‘cause they read minds or something?  That’s a scary thought.”

            Leo closed the journal on his finger to hold his place.  “It’s possible that some of them are capable of reading their victim pool.  The Aka manto made itself look like a restroom attendant.”

            “The next one we meet is gonna be mighty pissed when it goes to read my mind,” Raph said.

            That made Leo chuckle.  “As if you don’t say out loud exactly what you think.”

            “Saves on misunderstandings,” Raph countered with a straight face.

            Mikey appeared at that moment.  “I’ll make a light lunch if one of you guys gets in there and takes my place scanning journals.  Don’s being a tough task master today.”

            Raph moved Leo’s feet again and got up.  “I’d rather do that than sit here trying to decipher these journals.  If you’re making sandwiches, don’t forget the mustard.”

            Waving an acknowledgement, Mikey left the room.  Time passed and it was after seven when Don received a call from April which worried him enough to gather his brothers together.

            “April, I’m putting you on speaker.  Could you repeat what you just told me?” Don asked.

            _“I would have called earlier, but Casey was in the shop with me all day,”_ April said.  _“He just left to pick up some dinner. Guys, he’s been acting very strangely since yesterday morning.  Did something happen to him night before last when he was out hunting with you?”_

            “No,” Don said.  “He lured a yokai out for us and then got out of the way while we dealt with it.  What do you mean by ‘acting strangely’?”

            _“Any time I mention you guys, he gets . . . angry. Especially if I talk about Donny,”_ April said.  _“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was jealous. I told him we should go see you and work this out and he absolutely refused.  He won’t go near you or Mr. Hidesato’s house.  He’s not himself.”_

            “We’ll come by the apartment, April.  Don’t tell him that you’ve talked to us,” Leo said.  “Behave exactly as you normally would.”

            _“I’m scared, Leo. When I make any mention of Donny, Casey’s face gets so twisted with anger that he doesn’t even look like himself,”_ April said.

            “Eat dinner, avoid any subject involving us, and don’t let him leave,” Leo said.  “As soon as it’s dark enough, we’ll be there.”

            _“Thanks guys. I even have to erase my call log because he’s taken to checking my phone,”_ April said before she hung up.

            “We need Mr. Hidesato,” Leo said.

            “I’ll check his room,” Mikey said, darting out of the office.

            “What are ya’ thinking?” Raph asked his older brother.

            “Casey let all of those creatures out,” Leo said.  “It’s possible one made its way back to the source and infected him.  Our warder symbols give us some degree of protection, but he has none.”

            “How do we know which one we’re fighting?” Don asked.

            “I’m hoping Mr. Hidesato will have some idea,” Leo answered.

            “I can’t find him,” Mikey said as he ran back into the room.

            “See if he’s carrying his phone,” Leo said.

            “Already on it,” Don responded, his shell cell in hand.

            “Dammit, how come I feel like we should’ve known this would happen?” Raph asked of no one in particular.

            “No answer,” Don said.  “Let’s try to figure this out ourselves.  What do we know about what’s happening to Casey?  We have symptoms and a drastic change in behavior and a possible infection.  I can plug those in as search parameters and see if any of the journals we’ve scanned mentions those things.”

            “Do it,” Leo said.

            Don trotted off to the war room and Raph started pacing.  “Didn’t we tell that asshole to be where we could reach him?  Tell me again why I shouldn’t punch him in his mouth?”

            “Because that wouldn’t solve anything?” Mikey offered.

            “It would make me feel better,” Raph said.

            They heard the sound of the front door opening and closing.  Leo looked at his brothers and said, “Stay here.”

            Going out into the foyer he found that Mr. Hidesato had just come in carrying two large white bags that smelled of food.  “I brought dinner.”

            “It will have to wait,” Leo told him.  “We have a problem.”

            Mr. Hidesato followed him back into the office and set the bags down on the coffee table.  “Tell me.”

            Leo gave him a quick rundown of April’s phone call.  Don entered just as Leo finished speaking.

            “Oh thank goodness,” Don said upon seeing Mr. Hidesato.  “The information we have is too vague.  My program couldn’t pinpoint any one creature.”

            “I need more facts as well,” Mr. Hidesato admitted.  “There are ghost sicknesses, spirit infections, and yokai possessions.  Mr. Jones could have any of these.  I would need to hear him speak, to know the words he uses, in order to determine a proper course of action.”

            “Just great,” Raph grumbled.  “He sure as hell ain’t gonna come here and give ya’ a soliloquy.”

            “Then we go with the first plan,” Leo said.  “We go to him.  Where is the phone we gave you, Mr. Hidesato?”

            “It is in my room,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I will get it.”

            “Don will call you when we get to April’s apartment,” Leo said.  “We’ll leave the line open so you can hear everything that transpires.  Once you’ve determined what’s wrong with Casey and if it is yokai related, Don can come back here and get the necessary coin.”

            “And what’ll the rest of us be doing?” Raph asked.

            “Keeping Casey calm,” Leo said.

            “If he is possessed, he will fight you,” Mr. Hidesato warned.  “The yokai will give him extra strength.”

            “Then it’s a good thing there a four of us,” Leo said.

            “Take my car,” Mr. Hidesato said, tossing the keys to Donatello.  “It is at the curb.  The windows are tinted and it has diplomatic plates.  You will not be stopped.”

            “Let’s go,” Leo said.

            Checking the security monitor at the front door, Leo determined that the street was clear before the brothers left the house.  Parked at the curb was a black Rolls-Royce Phantom sedan with darkly tinted windows all around.  The turtles quickly piled into the vehicle, with Don behind the wheel.

            As they sped down the street, Don said, “If this wasn’t such an urgent situation, I’d really be enjoying the way this car drives.”

            In the front seat next to him, Raph said, “Maybe Mr. H will let ya’ take it for a spin when this is over.”

            “Maybe he’ll give it to you,” Mikey said, running his hands across the leather upholstery.

            “How fast can you push it, Donny?” Leo asked.

            “With these plates?  Ten over without the police looking at us sideways,” Don answered.

            “Do it,” Leo said, his expression grim.

            “Would’ve been nice if you would have had one of your dreams last night,” Mikey said.  “Then maybe we’d know what’s up with Casey.”

            “That’s exactly why we can’t count on these powers,” Leo said.  “We have to stick with what we do best and rely on our training.”

            It wasn’t long before Don turned into the alley alongside April’s shop.  Using his key, Don opened the side door and he and his brothers went inside.

            They had expected to find April and Casey upstairs, but they immediately heard both of their voices and knew the pair was in the shop itself.

            “Casey, this is ridiculous,” April said.  “Searching the shop computer to see if Donny is sending me secret messages is too much.”

            “Ya’ saying ya’ don’t want me to look?  Ya’ saying ya’ got something to hide?” Casey asked.

            Don pulled out his shell cell and dialed Mr. Hidesato’s number.  The man picked up on the first ring with a curt, _“I am listening.”_

            “I’m saying I have nothing to hide,” April said.  “Donatello is my friend and he’s your friend too.”

            “So ya’ keep telling me,” Casey said.  He started to say something else, but it was cut off by a fit of coughing.

            “Casey, come and sit down,” April said, sounding worried.  “You don’t look well.”

            “Bet ya’ wish I’d die, then ya’ could be with Donatello,” Casey said, his tone ugly.

            “Why are you suddenly so fixated on him?” April asked.

            Leo put his mouth close to Don’s head and whispered, “Stay back and let the three of us handle this.”

            Don nodded, remaining next to a large china cabinet and therefore out of sight.  With a gesture, Leo indicated that Raph, as Casey’s best friend, should step out of hiding first.

            “Yo Casey, what’s going on?” Raph asked, sauntering towards his friend as though he hadn’t a care in the world.

            “What are ya’ doing here?” Casey snarled.  His eyes darted down to the symbols on Raph’s arm and he took a step back before looking over at April.  “Did ya’ call him?”

            “If you’re upset with them for some reason, then you guys should talk it out,” April insisted.  “That’s why they’re here.”

            “Them?”  Casey looked past Raph and saw Leo and Mikey.  “Oh right, they travel in packs.  Where’s the girlfriend stealing one?  Did he go right up to April’s bedroom to wait for her?”

            “Ya’ know better than that, Case.  April’s been with ya’ through thick and thin.  She and Donny ain’t never been nothing but friends,” Raph said.

            “Stay away from me,” Casey said as Raph took a step nearer.  “Ya’ green freaks are done ruining my life.  I blame the four of ya’ for what happened with that damn box.  Shit like that never happened to me until I met ya’.”

            Leo slid his eyes over to Mikey and slightly inclined his head to the left.  Mikey winked to indicate his understanding and began moving slowly to the right in order to flank Casey.

            “Casey, ya’ gotta help me out here man,” Raph said, working to keep Casey’s focus on him.  “Ya’ ain’t acting like yourself.  If something’s in there with ya’, I need ya’ to fight your way out enough to give me a clue.”

            Suddenly Mikey’s arm began to burn and he yelped, slapping his hand down atop the warder symbols.  The sound was enough to pull Casey’s attention off Raph and he saw that Leo and Mikey were moving to cut off his escape routes.

            Casey’s face changed.  It became twisted and warped until it no longer looked like their friend.

            “This one is mine!” Casey screamed, the voice coming out of him shrill and very unlike his own.  “He gave us freedom and he will not be taken from me!”

            Spinning on his heel, Casey raced past the startled brothers to leap over a display case and smash his way through one of the front windows.  Landing feet first on the sidewalk, Casey took off running.

            “Mr. H knows what it is!” Don shouted, dashing out of hiding.

            “Go to the house,” Leo ordered as Raph and Mikey shot out through the broken window in pursuit of Casey.  “Track my phone to find us.  Fast as you can, Donny.”

            Leo leapt through the window to join the chase and Don turned to the side door.  April ran up to him and caught his arm.  “What should I do?”

            “Stay here in case he doubles back,” Don said.  “Keep your phone in your hand and call if you see him.”

            He didn’t wait for her to acknowledge the instructions.  Jumping into the car, Don backed out and spun the car around, exceeding his own self-prescribed speed limit as he headed back to the house.  Don was less concerned with police than with getting to Casey in time to save him.

            Sliding into the curb with a squeal of brakes, Don threw the car into park and raced into the house.  He found Mr. Hidesato waiting for him with a coin and the wax tool.

            “It is Lady Rokujō or also known as Rokujō No Miyasudokoro,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “She is the embodiment of repressed jealousy, which transforms itself into a possessing demon.”

            “How do I get her out of Casey?” Don asked.

            “The coin must be placed at the hollow of his neck,” Mr. Hidesato said, touching a spot on his own throat.  “Here.  It will draw the dark spirit from him.  But be warned, the creature will fight hard to retain her hold on your friend.  She will use his body to battle you.  In your efforts to avoid hurting him, you may yourselves be hurt.  The creature will give him added strength.”

            “She’s making him fast too,” Don said as he activated the tracker on his phone.  Poised to leave, he asked, “Do I need to know anything else?”

            “Draw her out of him as quickly as you can,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “This spirit will drain him of vital energy and diminish his life force.  The sickness can kill him.”

            “I have my phone if you need to call,” Don said, leaving the house as quickly as he’d entered it.

            Leo quickly caught up to Raph and Mikey who were trying to avoid the street lights as they chased after Casey.  The block where April’s shop was located was quiet at night, which was helpful, but they were heading towards a more densely populated area.

            “I don’t see him,” Leo said.  “Do you know where he went?”

            “He’s moving fast,” Raph said.  “Last I saw of him he was staying on this street.  We might have to separate.”

            “Ow!  Ow, ow, ow, ow!” Mikey exclaimed, clutching at the symbols on his arm once more.

            “What the hell, Mikey?” Raph asked.

            “They’re burning me again!” Mikey yelped.  “Wait, it’s fading.”

            Leo came to a sudden halt, which in turn stopped his brothers.  “Mikey, go down that side street and tell us what happens.”

            Though curious, Mikey didn’t waste time asking why, he just did as Leo said.  Only partway down the side street the symbols began to glow again.

            “Shell!  He must have gone this way!” Mikey shouted.

            “Keep going Mikey, we’re right behind you,” Leo said.  “Let the symbols guide you to him.”

            “He’s got a damn demon tracking device?” Raph asked as they ran along behind their younger brother.

            “That must be Mikey’s power,” Leo said.  “The symbols are showing him the way to a creature, in this case the spirit possessing Casey.”

            Mikey made another quick turn, taking them away from the brighter city blocks and into an area containing a couple of older, condemned buildings.

            “Where’s he going?” Raph asked.

            “She,” Leo corrected.  “I don’t think Casey’s in charge of his body right now.”

            Clutching his arm again, Mikey made a course adjustment which took him directly to an abandoned factory building.

           “He went in there,” Mikey said.

           The screech of tires made all three brothers flatten themselves against the building to avoid being seen. They relaxed when they realized it was Mr. Hidesato’s car.

           Don parked in front of the building and ran over to join his siblings. “Where is he?”

           “Inside,” Leo said. “Mikey can track him with the symbols on his arm.”

           “We have to get to him quick,” Don told them. “Mr. H said the spirit will drain his life force until he’s dead.”

           Raph pushed back the boards that Casey had already broken through to get inside the building and the turtles entered. The ground floor was mostly open space, with a few cubicle type offices interspersed throughout.  It was also very dark.

           “Mikey?” Leo asked.

           Holding his arm out in front of him, Mikey moved forward slowly. When the glow intensified, it let him know which direction to take.

           “Figures I’d get the power that hurts like crazy,” Mikey mumbled under his breath.

           “Spread out around Mikey,” Leo whispered. “Be ready for anything.”

           Moving in silent formation, the brothers searched for Casey while Mikey kept them going in the right direction. That the man hadn’t exited the building was evident by the brightly burning symbols on Mikey’s arm.

           It was quiet. Every few seconds they heard the creak of the building as it lost the day’s heat.  Far off a horn sounded.  They were halfway across the ground floor, a set of stairs at the back of the building directly ahead of them.  Casey must have gone up.

           Mikey was grimacing. Leo glanced at him, seeing the look of pain and feeling bad for his brother.  This was the first time any of their powers had exhibited a down side.

           The smell of dust grew stronger, an indication that someone had recently disturbed the layers that covered the floor. Leo wagged a finger towards the staircase, letting his brothers know they would be taking them.

           A piercing shriek suddenly cut through the silence and Casey came barreling out of the darkness. He slammed into Donatello, throwing the turtle to the floor before repeatedly striking him in the face.

           Raph leaped forward and wrapped his arms around Casey’s upper body, dragging him off of Don. Casey was growling like a maddened animal as he twisted in Raph’s grip, trying to free his arms.

           Leo grabbed hold of Casey’s wrists, pinning them to his sides. Casey kicked him and then tried to stomp Raph’s feet.

           “Grab his legs!” Raph shouted, feeling his friend begin to slip free.

           Mikey threw himself at Casey’s calves, catching them in his arms and pulling himself flush against the man’s legs.

           “Get him down on his back and hold him!” Don yelled, digging the trap coin out of his belt.

           “I will destroy you all!” the creature screamed at them as they wrestled Casey to the ground.

           All three turtles were practically sitting on Casey to keep him from escaping. He writhed and twisted on the floor, snarling and snapping at the turtles like a rabid beast.  Kneeling next to him, Don flattened him palm against Casey’s forehead to keep his head from jerking, and pressed the trap coin to the hollow point of his neck.

           “No!” The shriek reverberated through the building, shaking the windows.  Casey fought even harder, his face contorted beyond all recognition.

           Then a dark green smoke began to spin inside the interior of the coin, rising up above it to form a small mushroom shaped cloud before being sucked back down into the coin. Casey went completely limp and Don snatched the coin from his neck, placing it swiftly inside the wax tool.

           The brothers climbed off of Casey and Raph leaned down, turning his head to listen for the sound of breathing. Touching a finger to his neck, Raph felt for a pulse.

           “He’s okay, I think,” Raph said. “Pulse is good, breathing is even.  Did we get her?”

           Don held up the coin, showing him that the wax seal was in place and Mikey held out his arm. “It stopped burning.”

           Casey gasped and opened his eyes, looking around at the turtles with surprise. “What the hell’s going on?  Where am I?”

           “Ya’ feeling okay, buddy?” Raph asked. Casey started to sit up and Raph helped him.

           “My head hurts,” Casey said, rubbing his forehead. “Somebody want to tell me why I’m sitting on a dirty floor in some old building?”

           “What’s the last thing you remember?” Leo asked.

           “Leaving you guys’ place with my torn leather jacket,” Casey said. “I don’t even remember explaining that to April.  What happened, did she bean me with a frying pan or something?”

           “Not quite,” Raph said. “Can ya’ walk?  We need to get ya’ home.  April’s worried sick about ya’.”

           “Someone’s gonna tell me how I got here, right?” Casey asked as he slowly got to his feet. “I feel like I missed something important.”

           “We’ll tell ya’ everything as soon as we get ya’ back to April,” Raph said. “She’s gonna want to know what happened too.”

           The group left the building and walked over to where Don had left the car. When he saw it, Casey let out a whistle.  “Nice car,” he said and then then as Don opened the door and the interior light came on, Casey asked, “What the hell happened to your face, Donny?  Ya’ look like ya’ went a few rounds with Juan Marquez.”

           “I feel like I did too,” Don said. “We’ll explain it all in a bit.  Then I want to go home to an ice pack.”

           “Yeah okay,” Casey said, climbing into the back seat. “Weird night, huh?”

           “You don’t know the half of it,” Leo replied as Don started the car and began the drive back to April’s shop.

 

End Rokujō No Miyasudokoro

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 


	11. Night of the Yanari

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 9,145  
> Rated: R 2k3 violence, language, mild tcest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>             “Is that still bothering ya’?” Raph asked his younger brother.

            Mikey gave him a perplexed look before realizing he’d been rubbing the symbols on his arm.

            “Nah, I guess it’s just phantom pain,” Mikey said as he studied his arm.

            They were sitting next to each other in the back seat of the car as Don drove them to April’s shop.  Casey was slumped against the seat on the far side of Raph, his eyes closed.  The yokai who’d taken possession of his body had left him with a bad headache.

            “What’d it feel like?” Raph asked Mikey, keeping his voice down.

            “The closer we got to that thing inside Casey, the worse it burned,” Mikey said.  “Kinda like when I was first branded.  Guess I have that to look forward to every time we go after one of those creatures.”

            “Sucks,” Raph said.  As much as he liked to tease his brother, he could empathize with Mikey when he knew he was really hurting.  “Maybe we can find a way to turn it off.”

            “We’ve gotta catch all these creatures, don’t we?” Mikey asked.  “I can handle a little pain if it helps get the job done.  It’s not doing any damage to me.”

            Though Raph did not say it out loud, he did think to himself, _“We hope.”_    They all just assumed that the warder magic branded on their arms wasn’t broiling their insides, but they had no way to know that for sure.

            When they pulled into the alley next to April’s shop, they saw her waiting in the doorway for them.  She ran to Casey as soon as he got out of the car and he put his arm around her shoulders before walking inside with her.  The turtles followed.

            The entire group traipsed upstairs to the couple’s apartment.  Casey sank down on the sofa with a groan and April sat next to him, her hand automatically going to his forehead to check for a fever.

            “Casey, are you all right?” April asked.  “What happened?”

            “The guys will have to tell ya’ ‘cause I don’t remember anything,” Casey said.

            April looked expectantly up at Leo.  “Casey was possessed by one the creatures,” he said.  “One with a jealous streak.”

            “Yeah, and she decided to be jealous about Donny,” Raph said, jerking a thumb towards his brainy brother.

            “I did that to your face?” Casey asked, sitting up.  “Man, I’m sorry!”

            “You didn’t do it, the Rokujō did,” Don said.

            “She sent ya’ through one of the windows downstairs too,” Raph said.  “Ya’ better rinse off and clean those cuts on your arm.”

            “We’ll patch up the window before we leave,” Leo said.  “The supplies are still in the basement?”

            “Yes, piled against a wall,” April said as she examined the cuts along Casey’s arms and forehead.  “Are you all right?”

            “Got a pounding headache,” Casey said.  “Don’t really feel nothing else right now.”

            “Ya’ probably will later,” Raph said

            “Worst part is not remembering anything,” Casey said.  “Feels like the morning after I drank too much and I’m waiting for someone to tell me what stupid shit I did.”

            “You didn’t do anything terrible,” April assured him.  “The creature just kept going on about the guys, especially Don.  It said I let them influence me too much and that I always chose them over you.”

            “That ain’t how I feel,” Casey said quickly.

            “I know that,” April said.  “It’s why I knew something was way off with you.  That and the fact that you know they are in a relationship, so there’s no way Don would be trying to steal me away.”

            “We should let you get cleaned up, take some aspirin, and go to bed,” Don said.  “Don’t worry about the window.  Like Leo said, we can seal that before we leave.”

            “Wait,” Casey said, his tone carrying a certain urgency.  “What happened to me, that thing taking control of my body, how do I keep that from happening again?  How do I keep one of them creatures from doing the same thing to April?”

            The turtles all looked at each other.  Finally Raph said, “We don’t know.  Maybe Mr. H does.”

            “Why did it pick me in the first place?” Casey asked.  “Was it in me this whole time since I let those things out?”

            “I doubt it,” Don answered.  “I think it worked its way back around to you.  Mr. H said it would drain you if it possessed you for too long.”

            “’Worked its way back’ would seem to indicate that the creature had an awareness of Casey in the first place,” April said, narrowing her eyes at Don.  “What aren’t you telling us?”

            Don appeared uncomfortable, but April’s gaze was unwavering.  “Remember that she said ‘he gave us freedom’, before sending Casey through the front window?  She knew Casey had released the yokai.”

            “Then that means they all know it,” April said.

            “And that means they could come here to hunt me down at any time,” Casey said.  “Ya’ gotta make Mr. H give me and April those symbols.”

            “He already proved to you that the warder symbol won’t attach to you,” Don reminded him.  “You haven’t the proper training.”

            “Then give it to April,” Casey said.  “She’s been training with Master Splinter for years.”

            “A warder can only be someone who has trained with at least two masters,” Leo said.  “The magic won’t attach to her either.”

            “Then find another one and train her,” Casey snapped.  “How long could it take?”

            “That’s another thing we’ll have to ask Mr. H,” Leo said in what he hoped was a soothing tone.

            It didn’t calm Casey at all.  “Great.  Terrific.  What do we do in the meantime?”  He turned to April.  “Maybe ya’ should go live in the big house with the guys.”

            “That doesn’t keep you safe,” April said.  “Fear is not going to rule my life.  Shredder couldn’t drive me away and neither will these creatures.”

            “So what keeps them away from Mr. H’s house?” Mikey asked.  All eyes turned to him.  “Just saying.  Gotta be more than just the symbols on our arms, right?”

            Don appeared thoughtful.  “We might not be able to give you the warder symbols, but maybe we can ward this building.”

            “What do you mean Donny?” April asked.

            “There are many beliefs about symbols bringing luck,” Don said.  “Like hanging a horseshoe right side up over a door or entryway.  Or wearing animal totems, like earrings, facing towards your body to bring luck to you.  Maybe if we carve the warder symbol above the shop’s main entrance and I can transfer some power into it, then that will keep the yokai away.”

            “It’s worth a try,” Leo said.  “It can’t hurt.”

            “I’ll grab a ladder,” Raph offered, heading downstairs.

            Mikey went with him and the others followed, waiting near the shop’s front entrance for them to bring a ladder up from the basement.  Raph returned with the ladder and some boards for the front window, while Mikey carried a couple of hammers and a bucket of nails.

            Climbing the ladder, Don used one of his kunai to etch the warder symbols into the wooden doorframe.  While he was doing that, Raph and Mikey exited through the broken window and began to put up boards to cover the opening.

            April swept up the broken glass and disposed of it after insisting that Casey sit down and do nothing.

            Holding the ladder to keep it steady, Leo watched as Don placed his hand against the symbols.  Closing his eyes, Don concentrated and for a few minutes, nothing happened.  Then his arm began to glow, but it was faint and disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared.

            Panting with his efforts, Don said, “I don’t know if I can do this.”

            “Ya’ gotta do it Donny,” Casey said, starting to rise.  April pressed against his shoulders to remind him to stay seated.  “Ya’ gotta protect April.  I could have killed her tonight.  Next time we might not be so lucky.  Next time ya’ guys might not be around to save our butts.”

            Those words got to Donatello.  Casey was their best friend, but April was like a sister to them.  They had to be protected.

            Don’s heart beat quickened as adrenaline began to flow through his body.  Once more he pressed his hand to the symbols and this time his entire body started to glow.  Under his palm, tiny wisps of smoke curled up from the wood and then there was a bright flash before the symbols themselves began to shine.

            Removing his hand, Don let out a breathy sigh as the warder magic infusing his body dissipated.  For a second he teetered atop the ladder and then he fell.

            Leo caught him.  “Are you okay, Donny?” he asked, easing his brother down so he could sit on the floor.

            Raph appeared in the open doorway.  “What’s going on?  We saw a flash of light come from over here.”

            “Don has managed to ward the place against the escaped creatures,” Leo said.  “April and Casey will now at least be safe in their own home.”

            “Maybe once the yokai get that message they’ll stay the hell away from them permanently,” Raph said before going back to help Mikey finish sealing the broken window.

            “Phew,” Don said as Leo helped him to his feet.  “That power punch takes a lot out of a guy.”

            “We should head back to HQ and let Casey get some sleep,” Leo said.  “It’s been a rough night for all of us.”

            “I’ll lock up and set the alarm when we leave,” Don offered.  “Casey, do you need some help getting back upstairs?”

            “Nah, I’m good,” Casey told him, standing up and flinging an arm across April’s shoulders.

            “I’ll call a glazier tomorrow,” April said.  “Thanks guys.  I don’t know what we’d do without you.”

            “Anytime sis,” Don said, grinning at the honorary title he’d given her.

            After the pair headed upstairs, Leo folded up the ladder and Don went outside to survey his brothers' repair job.  Once they had everything sealed up as well as they could, Don connected the window’s alarm contacts to one of the boards.

            When the turtles had returned the tools and ladder to the basement, they locked the front door and exited through the one that gave out onto the alley.  Don set the alarm and locked that door before climbing into Mr. Hidesato’s car and driving back to HQ.

            Despite the fact that street parking was at a premium, no one ever seemed to park near Mr. Hidesato’s house.  Don pulled in at the curb and after carefully checking that the street was deserted, the turtles dashed into the house.

            “Wonder where Mr. H keeps that car most of the time,” Raph said after they were inside.

            “There is a small parking garage on the corner,” Mr. Hidesato said as he came out of the office.  “Usually it is parked there.  Most of my neighbors are diplomats or business entrepreneurs.”

            “In other words, the rich and snooty,” Raph said.

            “How is Mr. Jones?” Mr. Hidesato asked, ignoring Raph’s jibe.  “Has he suffered any ill effects from the possession?”

            “Just a headache and a mild case of paranoia,” Don said, handing over the trap coin and wax tool to Mr. Hidesato.

            “Don carved a warder symbol over the door at April’s,” Mikey said.  “Then he ramped it up with some of his magic mojo.”

            Mr. Hidesato looked confused.  “You were able to apply a magical shield to her building?”

            “I think so,” Don said.  “All I did was concentrate on pushing energy from my symbol into the one I carved into the wood.”

            “Astonishing,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “Well Don ain’t the only one who put on a magic display tonight,” Raph said.  “Mikey’s extra power kicked in too, but it’s no walk in the park.  It hurts him.  How come ya’ didn’t think to mention that some of these powers come with a downside?”

            “These are not gifts with which I am familiar,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “What power has manifested itself now?”

            Leo explained the situation they’d found themselves in while trying to deal with a possessed Casey and how Mikey’s warder brand had suddenly acted like a homing beacon.

            “The way his brand reacted to the proximity of a yokai helped us flush her out of hiding,” Leo said as he finished the story, “but it was painful for him.  There has to be a way to turn it off.”

            Mr. Hidesato frowned.  “Having a way to track these creatures will give you a great advantage in hunting them.”

            “Put your listening ears on,” Raph snapped.  “It hurts like hell.  We can hunt the damn things without having to burn the shit out of my little brother.”

            “It’ll be okay, Raph.  I can handle it,” Mikey said.

            “Now ya’ think ya’ gotta take one for the team?” Raph asked, growling angrily at his brother.  “Ya’ don’t know if that’s burning your insides while it’s sending ya’ signals.  None of us knows what these damn powers are doing to us.”

            “I have worn my symbol for most of my adult life without suffering any ill effects,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “With all due respect, you haven’t experienced any of these advanced powers either,” Donatello said.  “Granted, they do provide us some advantages, but at what cost?  Once we’ve recaptured the creatures, can the symbols and their attached magic be removed?”

            “No one has ever tried,” Mr. Hidesato said.  He looked at Leo.  “Without the symbols, one cannot be a Warder.”

            Leo understood the implications of that statement.  Without the symbols, they could not take on the Hidesato clan responsibility for safeguarding the coffer and captured yokai.  Mr. Hidesato would be left without heirs to the family line.

            Deciding whether or not retain the symbols or to accept a lifelong commitment to essentially become jailers required some hard thought.  Contemplating all of the pros and cons wasn’t something that they needed to attempt at midnight when they were all tired.

            “We’re not going to solve this right now,” Leo said.  “Our answer might be in the journals we haven’t yet read.  I’d suggest we all get some sleep and start off fresh in the morning.”

            “I second that,” Don said quickly, hoping to head off a confrontation between Raph and Mr. Hidesato.  “Mikey’s had a hard night.”

            The reminder of what Michelangelo had endured brought out Raph’s protective instincts.  “Come on little bro’, let’s get ya’ tucked into bed.”

            He wrapped an arm around Mikey’s shoulder and started him towards the stairs.  Mr. Hidesato took that as a dismissal and returned to the office.

            Raph had one foot on the bottom step when Mikey pulled away from him.  “I’m too wired to sleep.  You guys wanna hang out in the media room with me?”

            He was already moving in that direction as he offered the invitation.  Raph rolled his eyes and followed.  “We might have to move a bed in there for him,” he said to no one in particular.

            When his brothers caught up to Mikey after detouring to the kitchen for an ice pack, they found him searching the area housing the video equipment.  “What are you looking for?” Don asked him.

            “Where’s the gaming hardware?  We’ve got a big screen, we’ve got speakers, but where’s the rest of it?” Mikey asked, darting to the other end of the room.

            Don laughed.  “Mikey, Mr. Hidesato Senior was an old man.  I doubt that he played video games.”

            Mikey looked crestfallen.  “How am I supposed to relax?”

            “How’s about we order up one of those movies on demand?” Raph asked, dropping into a seat next to Leo.

            “Fine,” Mikey said with a huff.  “As long as I pick the movie.”

            Leo tossed the remote to him.  After finally settling on a movie, the lights were dimmed and the brothers put their feet up.

            Not quite a third of the movie had played before it became clear that Raph and Leo were more interested in each other than the film.  Though they tried to be quiet, the occasional churr could be heard above the sound system.

            Mikey squirmed in his seat, trying to pretend he was still engrossed in the movie.  Taking the ice pack from his bruised face, Don reached for Mikey’s hand.  With an understanding smile, he turned his brother’s arm and leaned in to kiss the symbol branded on the inside of Mikey’s forearm.

            “We can always watch this movie some other time,” Don whispered as Leo and Raph got out of their seats and left the media room.  “I’m sure I can find another way to help you wind down.”

            The words were barely out of his mouth when Mikey bounced out of his seat and turned the television off.  Leaving Leo and Raph to the nest in the main bedroom, Don and Mikey utilized the guest room for their activities.

            A little over an hour later the pair returned to the shared room, finding Leo and Raph soundly sleeping.  Crawling into bed with them, the two were soon asleep as well.

            Rattling and pounding.

The sounds were giving Leonardo a headache.  They wouldn’t stop; it felt as though a dozen hammers were slamming into objects all around him.  To make things worse, the floor began to shake beneath his feet.

            Leo looked around for the cause of all the noise.  Movement flickered to his left and when he turned, there was movement to his right.

            Clasping his hands to his head, Leo attempted to block out the sounds, grimacing as they only seemed to grow louder.  Within seconds the crashing, drumming noises felt like they were right inside his skull.

            With a gasp, Leo’s eyes snapped open.  Raph lay partially draped across Leo’s body, his soft snores the only sounds in the bedroom.

            Breathing deeply, Leo’s slow exhale took some of the residual headache away.  He knew that he’d had another prophetic dream.  They had a different feeling to them that was quite unlike regular dreams, both during the dream and after he’d awakened.

            Turning his head slowly, Leo located both Don and Mikey, ensuring himself that he hadn’t disturbed their slumber.  Shifting one of Raph’s arms into a more comfortable spot, Leo closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

            In the morning, the turtles grabbed a quick breakfast and decided to spend a few hours with Master Splinter.  It was a Monday, a day when April opened her shop later and usually trained with their father in the morning.  Though they weren’t sure she’d be there after the previous night’s experience, they hoped she would be.

            When the brothers entered the lair, they found that April was already training with Master Splinter.  After depositing some supplies in the kitchen, the turtles joined the practice session.

            April used the opportunity of their presence to spar with them.  She had progressed enough to be a real challenge, and her adopted siblings were more than a little proud.

            Leo mulled over April’s accomplishments a while later, as the group sat down to lunch together.  The brothers took turns catching Master Splinter up on their activities and telling him how Raph and Mikey’s warder powers had manifested.

            “Is Michelangelo the only one of you to have suffered ill effects from your powers?” Master Splinter asked.

            “Don’s power packs a wallop but it takes a lot out of him,” Raph said.

            “Makes me feel like I’ve gone ten rounds with the heavyweight champ of the world,” Don said.

            “Mine leaves me feeling somewhat disoriented for a little while,” Leo said.  “I’ll sometimes have a mild headache as well.”

            “Guess mine’s the only one without an after effect,” Raph said.

            Mikey snorted.  “You were pretty eager to jump, uh . . . .” he paused, realizing what he’d been on the verge of saying in front of Master Splinter and April.

            “What Mikey’s trying to say in his usual less than subtle way, Raph, is that your power made you frisky,” Don said.  “At least, it made you more eager than normal.”

            “Wouldn’t call that a bad side effect,” Raph said with a cocky grin.

            “Speaking of side effects,” Leo said, looking at April, “how’s Casey doing?”

            “He’s doing fine,” April said.  “He slept well and his head doesn’t hurt anymore.  He still has no memory of what happened while he was possessed.  He was working with the glazier this morning to get the front window replaced.  My part-time clerk is opening the shop.”

            “Leo, I’ve been giving some thought as to why you didn’t dream about the Rokujō,” Don said.  “I’m wondering if by inhabiting Casey’s body, it managed to cloak itself from your emerging psychic ability.”

            “Wouldn’t that presuppose that the creature had a certain level of intelligence?” April asked.

            “They do adapt,” Don said.  “We’ve talked to Mr. Hidesato about that.  He said that some of them are cunning and can become acclimated to their surroundings.  The Rokujō knew that Casey was the one who freed her, so she also probably knew that warders would come hunting her again.”

            “Stands to reason that if she’s a product of magic, she’d know what kind of magic might be hunting her,” Mikey said.  “Don’t you think?”

            “If they can adapt and change, then you must be able to do so as well, my sons,” Master Splinter said.  “You must embrace your new gifts and learn to manage them so that they do not manage you.”

            “And just how do we manage Mikey’s power?” Raph asked.  “He glows.  Shell, Don glows too.  How are we supposed to be ninjas if that thing on Mikey’s arm is glowing like a neon sign and giving away our locations?  He sure ain’t gonna go undercover and lure one of them creatures out when his symbol is screaming ‘hey, I’m a Warder’.”

            “Finally, the pain has an upside,” Mikey said, ducking as Raph reached over to smack the back of his head.

            “Mr. Hidesato views our powers as gifts that give us an advantage.  He seems adamant that we don’t try to turn these powers off,” Leo said.

            “That’s ‘cause he don’t want us to quit this job,” Raph said.  “He couldn’t care less how much pain Mikey’s in ‘cause of his power.”

            “Rather than trying to bypass Mikey’s power, maybe it would be possible to control its effects,” Leo mused.  “Like Master Splinter says, manage the gift.  If there is a way to focus the power, then maybe it wouldn’t burn so badly.”

            “That sounds a lot like meditation,” Mikey groused.

            “It’s probably no different than focusing our chi the way the tribunal taught us,” Don said.

            “I’m pretty sure you were the only one who enjoyed _that_ exercise, Donatello,” Mikey said.

            “Every time that three of us use our symbols, they light up,” Raph reminded them.  “How do ya’ propose we manage that?  How come the symbols were designed to do that in the first place?”

            “I’m guessing that our warder predecessors weren’t as worried about hiding in the dark as they were about bringing the yokai out of the shadows,” Leo said.  “These weren’t ninja, just practitioners of the martial arts.”

            “Like me, but without the additional training,” April said.

            Leo leaned towards her.  “That was something I was thinking about earlier.  You’ve already met half the requirement for becoming a Warder.  Would you consider training with a second Master in order to achieve the other half?  That is, if all this talk of painful powers hasn’t turned you off of the idea completely.”

            “I’d love to be able to help you guys,” April said, her eyes shining with excitement.  “How long do you think it would take?”

            “That’s not a bad idea, Leo,” Don said, straightening in his chair.  “If April was a Warder, she could become a member of the Warder High Council and represent the clan.”

            “Warder High Council?” April asked.

            Don launched into the history of the warder clans as Mr. Hidesato had explained it to them, along with the role played by the Warder High Council.  He told her of their dilemma and how Mr. Hidesato was actively fighting the Council to prevent them from sending warders from other clans to help capture the escaped creatures.

            “As far as how long it would take for you to become a Warder, I have no idea,” Leo said once Don had finished the story.  “Perhaps Mr. Hidesato could answer that question.  I’d also suggest that he be the second Master you train with, April.”

            “Ya’ want Mr. H to train April?” Raph asked sharply.  “What the hell for?”

            “Language,” Master Splinter warned.

            “Becoming a Warder takes specialized training,” Leo said.  “We’re learning on the job, but April doesn’t have to if Mr. Hidesato is willing to take her on as a student.  He can train her at the house and we’ll be right there to keep an eye on things.”

            “He might be more open with April than he is with us,” Mikey said.

            “He’s a closed mouthed jerk.  What makes ya’ think he’ll be less secretive with her?” Raph asked.

            “’Cause she’s human,” Mikey said.  “And she’s a lot better looking than you.”

            “Do you think I’d gain special gifts too if I become a Warder?  Since I’m human, as Mikey pointed out, and not a mutant,” April said.

            “Dreams,” Leo said suddenly, not looking at anyone in particular.

            “What?  Ya’ think she’ll get dreams too?” Raph asked, looking confused.

            “No, I just remembered that I had one last night,” Leo said.  “I don’t know why I wasn’t reminded of it earlier.”

            He told them of his dream, of the noise and the shaking, and of the flashing images just inside his peripheral vision.

            “Does that make any of you think of anything you’ve read in a journal?” Don asked.  “It doesn’t strike a familiar chord with me.”

            The others shook their heads.  “I guess that means we go back to HQ and hit the books,” Mikey said with resignation.  “There’s gotta be a better way to find them after we figure out which one Leo’s dreams are pointing out.  I mean, it’s a big city and people disappear all the time.  Fights break out, gangs do stuff, and you can’t tell if it’s them or yokai pulling stuff.”

            “Oh wait,” April said quickly as the turtles started to rise.  “There was something I meant to tell you, something that might help you track down the creatures.”

            “We’ll take all the help we can get,” Don told her.

            To their surprise, April’s face reddened.  “All right, but don’t tease me.  There’s a radio program, a local one on the University radio station, called 'Other Worldly'.  It’s sort of a guilty pleasure of mine.  The show is on late at night, and New Yorkers call in to talk about weird things, like ghosts and alien encounters.”

            “Or run-ins with legendary creatures?” Mikey asked with a wink.

            “Exactly,” April said.  “I haven’t listened in a few nights, but you could easily hear the previous shows via podcast.  If nothing else, you’ll probably find them entertaining.”

            “We can listen while we’re reading journals,” Leo said.

            “And while we’re scanning those journals into my new program,” Don said.  “We haven’t even made a dent in the number of those books that need to be input.  Has anyone besides me been writing in theirs?”

            His brothers looked guilty and said nothing.  Don frowned at them and shook his head.

            “Well geez, sorry Donny,” Raph said.  “We’ve been kinda busy.”

            “We have the rest of the afternoon,” Don said in a stern tone.  “Even if we quickly find out which creature it was that Leo dreamt about and where to find it, we can’t do anything until the sun goes down.”

            “Homework,” Mikey lamented in an exaggerated manner.  “This job is bad enough, but now it comes with homework.”

            April laughed.  “Personally, I think you guys are doing very well.  Let me know what Mr. Hidesato says to the suggestion that he take me on as a student.  If he won’t, then I’ll start looking around for someone who’s suitable.  I suppose that means I can’t train with Master Splinter anymore.”

            “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other,” Master Splinter quoted.  “Since I do not wish to be despised, it is best that you devote yourself to whoever serves as your next Master.”

            Raph and Don walked partway with April as she left the lair.  Mikey began cleaning up their luncheon things and Leo changed seats in order to sit next to his father.

            “How have you been doing, Master Splinter?” Leo asked.

            “Very well, thank you for asking Leonardo,” Master Splinter said.  “I would not be speaking the truth if I did not say I have missed you all.  When you are out of my sight, I cannot help but worry.”

            “The invitation to come and stay at the house with us is still open,” Leo said.

            “Perhaps if the weight of my concern grows too heavy to bear, I will accept that invitation,” Master Splinter said.  “Tell me what you have withheld.”

            As always, Master Splinter’s astuteness surprised Leo.  “Donny broached the subject of removing the warder symbols to Mr. Hidesato.  Raph was angry that the magic in Mikey’s proved to be so painful.  Mr. Hidesato was less than enthusiastic, even though Don had asked about removing them _after_ we’ve recaptured the creatures.”

            “Mr. Hidesato wishes this to become a lifelong commitment for the four of you,” Master Splinter said.  “He is dedicated to his clan and its continued survival is his primary concern.”

            “My primary concern is the safety and health of my brothers,” Leo said.  “We really don’t know what this magic is doing to us.  Mr. Hidesato behaves as if we haven’t anything to worry about, but I don’t think he actually knows.  He’s already admitted that other than mine, he’s unfamiliar with these powers.”

            “But perhaps his ancestors were not so ignorant,” Master Splinter said.  “Familiarizing yourselves with the contents of those journals may answer many of your questions, including that one.  I would suggest that become your first priority.”

            When Don and Raph returned, the turtles bid their father goodbye and journeyed back to Mr. Hidesato’s house.  They did not encounter the man, but there were signs that he’d been active while they were out.  A note on the kitchen chalkboard stated he’d be bringing dinner later and when Don glanced out through one of the front windows, he saw that the car was gone.

            There were also the usual indications that Mr. Hidesato had tidied up the office.  Though he’d shifted journals around again, he had not removed any of the sticky notes that the brothers had used as color codes.

            After Mikey dashed upstairs to retrieve their personal journals, the brothers settled in to the office to work.  The first thing Don did was to locate the radio program April had told them about and then create an account which would give him access to the podcasts.

            Playing them on the office sound system allowed everyone to listen to them.  While Don was in the war room scanning journals, his brothers dived into their research.

            After a while the scratching of a pencil drew Raph’s attention from the journal he was reading.  He glanced towards the desk where Mikey was seated and saw that his brother was hard at work on his journal.  Mikey’s tongue protruded from one side of his mouth as he concentrated.  Curiosity made Raph set his book aside and get up to see what Mikey was doing.

            Going around to Mikey’s side of the desk, Raph peered over his shoulder.  Mikey was drawing in his journal, creating a perfect replica of the Itsumade they had captured.

            “That’s damn good, Mikey,” Raph said, impressed at his brother’s skill.

            “Pictures help, dude.  There’s hardly any pictures of these things in the old journals,” Mikey said.  “Figure future warders could use the head’s up so they know what they’re looking for.”

            “I’m hoping future warders won’t need them,” Raph said.  He looked up and saw Leo standing at one set of bookcases.  His older brother was pulling out one book after another, flipping through it quickly, and putting it back on the shelves.  “What’s Leo doing?”

            Mikey lifted his head to locate Leo and then shrugged.  “Got no idea.  Ask him.”

            He returned to his drawing and Raph sauntered over to Leo.  “You lose something?”

            “I’m beginning to think so,” Leo said.  He set a hand on the bindings of the shelved books.  “After our first capture, when we caught the Dodomeki, I made a notation about it in the journal that Mr. Hidesato Senior had been keeping.  I wanted to copy that note into my personal journal, but I can’t find the other book.”

            “Think Mr. H took it?” Raph asked.

            “He must have,” Leo answered.  “I can’t think why unless it was for sentimental reasons.  I’ll broach the subject first chance I get.  It’s not important; what I wrote was pretty short and I intend to do a better job of recording our adventures.  I only wanted it so I could make a note that future records could be found in our sets of journals.”

            Raph decided to let the matter drop since Leo seemed unconcerned.  Though he didn’t want to worry his brother unduly or be told he was overly suspicious, Raph couldn’t help but wonder if there was more to the missing journal than Leo fathomed.

            “Ya’ listening to this stuff?” Raph asked instead, indicating a speaker with his thumb.  “Man, I knew New York was full of basket cases, but these people take the cake.  That one guy was downright positive that the dirt in his yard was an alien life form ‘cause it wasn’t the same color as his neighbor’s dirt.  The best was when he insisted the dirt gave birth to him and the humans who raised him were his adoptive parents.”

            Leo laughed.  “I’m only half listening.  The theories some of the show’s guests are spouting are just a little too far out there for me.”

            They both got comfortable on the couch again.  Raph went back to reading the journal he’d started on, and Leo began writing in his.  For an hour the only sounds were Mikey’s art pencil, the radio program, and the occasional turning of a page.

            Then the volume on the radio was suddenly turned up and Don popped out of the war room looking excited.  “Listen, listen.”

            _“ . . . I mean really, it’s a new building,”_ a caller was telling the host.  _“I know that it’s affordable housing, but it shouldn’t be shaking at night like it’s about to fall down.”_

            _“Are any of the buildings around you shaking?”_ the host asked.

            _“Just ours,”_ the caller said.  _“Then there’s all the weird noises at night.  Only at night.  And I keep finding stuff broken.  It’s all small stuff, but still.  How’s that happening?  It’s hard to sleep because of the pounding and hammering and crap.”_

            _“Have you called the police?”_ the host asked.

            _“Sure, a few of us have,”_ the caller said.  _“Only a third of the apartments have been rented out, but we’re starting to think the place is haunted.  The cops never find anything and now they think it’s some kind of joke.”_

            The call went on in that vein for another minute before the show took an advertising break.  When the host returned, he moved on to other callers.

            “That’s what you described from your dream, wasn’t it, Leo?” Don asked.

            “It was, right down to the shaking,” Leo said.  “I don’t suppose the guy gave his address when he first started talking?”

            “No, but he did mention when it started,” Don said.  “Since he said they’ve called the police about it, I can access the police call logs and find out where units were dispatched.  According to the caller, the police came out more than once, so it should be no problem narrowing down an address.”

            The sound of the front door opening and closing barely registered to the eager turtles.

            “Then all we have to do is figure out what we’re hunting,” Mikey said.

            “I think I might have just done that,” Raph said, sitting forward on the couch, his finger on a page of the journal he’d been reading.  “I think we’re after something called Yanari.”

            “Yanari?” Mr. Hidesato said, standing in the doorway.  He was carrying a pair of large bags smelling of food.  He lifted the bags.  “I have dinner.  Please, come to the kitchen and tell me what has transpired.”

            Raph brought the journal with him as they followed Mr. Hidesato to the kitchen.  He set out containers of food on the kitchen counter while Mikey took plates from the cupboard.

            While they served themselves buffet style, Leo told the man about his dream, and then Don explained how April had suggested they listen to the local radio show.  Sitting around the kitchen table, the group ate their dinner while Don concluded with how they’d heard the caller describe exactly what Leo had experienced in his dream.

            “I’ve been reading journals all afternoon,” Raph said, thumping the one he was balancing on his lap.  “This one talks about house squeakers, things the writer calls miniature oni.  It says they love making noise.”

            “Yanari,” Mr. Hidesato said again.  “Yes, they are quite mischievous and delight in their work, taking it very seriously.  They come out of from the floors, ceilings, and woodwork late at night after everyone has gone to bed.  Carrying miniature weapons or tools, they bang on anything that will make noise, even to the point of breaking things.”

            “And the shaking?” Leo asked.  “I felt the shaking in my dream.”

            “That is the Yanari as well,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Anything to disturb a person’s slumber.  They travel in groups, but you need only capture one in order to trap all of them.”

            “What’s the catch?” Raph asked.  “There’s always a catch.  The journal says it took this warder three nights to capture one, but not why it was so hard.”

            “They are fast,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “How fast?” Mikey asked.

            “Very fast,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Fortunately, they are also reluctant to leave a home once they have infested it.  Certain variables draw them, particularly homes of cheap or new construction.”

            “New affordable housing,” Don said, looking at his brothers meaningfully.

            “How do we trap it once we’ve caught one of the Yanari?” Leo asked.

            “Place the trap coin over its mouth,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “That is the center of most noise makers.  It will pull all of the Yanari inside the one you’ve caught, and then draw the final Yanari inside the coin with its mates.”

            Raph took a big bite of food.  “Sounds easy enough,” he said around the mouthful.

            Mr. Hidesato shook his head.  “Do not underestimate them.  Their penchant for mischief is not confined to making noise.”

            “The point is moot if we can’t find where this building is,” Leo said.

            They finished dinner quickly, excusing Donatello from clean up detail so he could begin his search for the address of the building the Yanari had taken over.

            It didn’t take long to put the kitchen back in order.  After that was done, the turtles and Mr. Hidesato returned to the office.  Since Don was busy, Mikey found the podcast they’d listened to and replayed it for Mr. Hidesato, who verified that what the caller described sounded exactly like a Yanari infestation.

            Mr. Hidesato was examining the drawings that Mikey had made when Don came out of the war room.

            “Do you guys have any idea how many call outs the police in this city go on each night?” Don asked.  Since it was clearly a rhetorical question, no one bothered trying to answer.

            “Did you find the address?” Leo countered, looking at his brother expectantly.

            “Of course I did,” Don said; not boasting, just stating a fact.  “I’ve got some history on the building too.  The apartments have only been available for rent since the first of the month.  Not only is the building new, but they’ve had problems passing inspections during each phase of the development.  Apparently, they were trying to take short cuts on certain code requirements.”

            “The perfect environment for Yanari,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “As with the other yokai, these have adapted as well.  Donatello, is there a way for you to learn which apartment the caller lives in?  He is the one finding items broken, so his is the home the Yanari have settled into.”

            “I already have that,” Don said.  “The man’s name and apartment number were in the police call logs.”

            “Somebody want to tell me how we go into an occupied apartment so we can catch these things?” Raph asked.

            Everyone fell silent.  After a moment Leo realized that all eyes, including Mr. Hidesato’s, were on him.

            A plan had only just started to form, but their expectant gazes told Leo that something in his expression must have told them he had an idea.

            “Spill,” Raph said.

            “Radio shows give things away all the time, don’t they?” Leo asked.  Without waiting for confirmation, he continued, “Mr. Hidesato, I’d suggest that you purchase a two night, all-expense paid stay in one of the city’s nicer hotels, then we tell the occupants of that apartment that they’ve won a prize.  Add some pocket money as an incentive to get them out of the place within the hour.”

            “Maybe Mr. H could drive them to the hotel in his Rolls Royce,” Mikey suggested.  “They’d be less likely to think it was a joke if he showed up looking like a chauffeur with some cash in an envelope and a fancy car at the curb.”

            Now four pairs of eyes were aimed at Mr. Hidesato.  “Y~es,” he said slowly.  “This might work.  I believe there is a chauffeur’s livery in the upstairs closet.  It is a bit old fashioned in style, but it should fit me.  How will the four of you get into the apartment once it has been vacated?”

            “Drop us off in the nearest alley and we’ll get in through a window,” Raph said.

            Leo looked at Don.  “Can you find out if there are tenants in the apartments to either side of the one we’re targeting?  The closer someone is, the sooner the noise we’ll make will prompt someone to call the police.”

            “I’ll check,” Don said.  “Anything else?”

            “Call the people first,” Leo said.  “Try to sound like a radio personality and tell them a chauffeur will pick them up at nine.”

            “Inform them that they will be staying at the Park Hyatt on West 57th,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “If they are native New Yorkers, they will recognize the prestige immediately.”

            “I don’t know how good I am at sounding like a radio pro,” Don said doubtfully.

            “No sweat, Donny.  I’ll do it,” Mikey said, clapping his brother on the shell and pushing him back towards the war room.

            “I shall retrieve the man’s name from Donatello and then book a suite at the hotel,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “There should be sufficient time for me to change into my disguise and retrieve the Rolls.”

            “We’ll meet you around back,” Leo said.  “We don’t need to use the front door any more than necessary.”

            Before he left the office, Mr. Hidesato gave the wax tool and the trap coin that was designed to hold the Yanari to Leonardo.  After placing the coin into his belt, Leo handed the wax tool over to Raph.

            They didn’t see Mr. Hidesato again until they climbed into the back of the Rolls Royce.  In his disguise, with a black hat pulled down over his eyes, he was remarkably nondescript.

            “You’ll be picking up a family from apartment seven H,” Don told him.  “A man, his wife, and their three year old.  There’s an elderly man in seven A, but that’s way on the other end of the hall and around the corner.  The remainder of the floor is vacant.”

            “Mikey will keep his eyes on the Rolls,” Leo said.  “He’ll signal us when you have the family in the car and have driven away.  After that, we’ll be in the apartment.”

            “I have the cell phone you gave me,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “If for some reason the family changes their mind and wishes to return to their apartment, I will call to warn you.”

            “They won’t change their mind if ya’ brought enough cash to make it worth their while not to change their mind,” Raph said.

            Mr. Hidesato glanced at him in the rear view mirror.  “I have with me an envelope containing one thousand dollars.  I hope that is a large enough incentive.”

            “It is if you don’t give it to them until they’re all checked in to the hotel,” Mikey said.

            That was the end of the conversation until they reached the apartment building.  Mr. Hidesato drove past it slowly, giving the turtles the opportunity to get a lay of the land, and then pulled into a nearby alley.

            As the brothers clambered out of the car, Mr. Hidesato rolled down his window and said, “Good luck, warders.”

            He backed out of the alley and drove towards the apartment building.  The turtles climbed up to the nearest roof top and then leaped from roof to roof until they were atop the apartments.

            “Seven H?” Leo asked Don.

            “Three floors down on the west side of the building,” Don said.  “Fourth apartment from the corner.”

            Mikey had jogged to the side of the building that overlooked the street.  “Mr. H is going inside,” he called out.

            “We go in when Mikey gives the all clear,” Leo said.  “Mikey, let us know as soon as they pull away from the curb.  Watch the car until it’s out of sight and then join us in the apartment.”

            “On it,” Mikey replied.

            While they waited, Leo, Don, and Raph did some reconnaissance, checking the area around the apartment complex and observing the neighboring building for activity.

            In less time than they thought it would take, Mikey said, “He got them!  They’re driving away.”

            His brothers were off the roof before he finished speaking.  Don unerringly found the balcony for apartment H and picked the lock on the sliding glass door.

            They quietly entered a bedroom, hoping the Yanari would think the family asleep and come out of hiding.  Almost as soon as they’d spread out, the building began to shake.

            “Damn!” Raph exclaimed, widening his stance for balance.  “Feels like a fucking earthquake!”

            A framed picture flew off the wall, whipping past Raph’s face and smashing into the opposite wall.

            “Guess they know we’re here,” Leo said.

            “Then where are they?  Why can’t we see them?” Raph asked.

            “Because they know who we are and they’re hiding,” Don said.  “We really have to find a way to cover these symbols.”

            A loud pounding came from atop a dresser.  All three turtles looked in that direction, but though they could still hear the noise, they couldn’t see anything.

            “Hiding my ass,” Raph growled.  “The fuckers are invisible.  That wasn’t in the journal.”

            “Mr. H didn’t mention it either,” Don said, sweeping his bō across the top of the dresser.  He came into contact with air and the pounding noise resumed on the other side of the room.

            “Ain’t that a surprise,” Raph said.  “Marvelous.  Turtle luck running true to form.”

            “Ow!” Mikey yelped as he entered the room.  He was lifting his arm out towards the room, the symbols glowing brightly.  “Ow, ow!  Make it stop!”

            “How’s he supposed to hunt when he’s in pain?” Raph demanded.

            “Focus, Mikey,” Leo said.  “Try to turn it down.”

            Mikey grimaced.  “All right, already!  We found them, you can stop now!” he screamed, staring at his arm.

            “Hey!” Don shouted as a book bounced off of his head.

            A crashing of glass followed and then the bedroom door slammed back against the wall.  Thudding noises came from the room beyond and the turtles raced from the bedroom to the living room.

            "Where are they?” Mikey asked, clutching his arm.

            “Shit!  Little fucker!” Raph yelled, grabbing his foot and hopping up and down.  “Smashed my foot!”

            “Keep moving,” Leo ordered.  “Don’t give them a target.”

            “They’re invisible,” Don told Mikey as the TV remote hit his chest.  “And I guess they’re angry.”

            “Fuck!”  Raph fell with a hard thump, a welt already forming on top of his other foot.  He lifted his arms to protect his face, and his brothers could see that something was striking him.

            “Stop!” Mikey cried out, aiming his symbol covered arm in Raph’s direction.

           His eyes started to glow with a blue brilliance and then suddenly a dozen tiny creatures became visible, half of them pounding on Raph’s body with mallets and clubs.

           The glow faded from Mikey’s eyes and then the burning sensation in his arm diminished, though the symbols continued to shine.

           Leo snatched at one of the creatures standing on Raph, but it zipped out from under his hand.  When Don poked at one with his bo, the creature raced up his staff and clouted him on the head with its mallet.

           Shaking three of them off of him, Raph started to sit up.  Before he could rise more than a foot, a thin cord appeared out of nowhere, draped across his chest, and snapped tight.

           Raph was knocked back flat, the cord surprisingly strong.  One of the Yanari produced another cord and swinging it like a lasso, roped Raph’s wrist and yanked his arm down to the floor.

           His brothers didn’t notice Raph’s dilemma because they were racing around the room, chasing the tiny creatures.  Don and Leo nearly smashed into each other as they both grabbed for the same Yanari.

           The foot rest on a recliner swung out in front of Mikey as he raced past it, nearly knocking him down.  Only his quick reflexes saved him as he hopped over the furniture when it swept into his path.

           One of the creatures pounded on the dining table with its club, while another had gotten into the china cabinet.  It began flinging cups and plates at the turtles, forcing them to dodge missiles.

           Raph tried to grab for his sai with his free arm, but two of the creatures wrapped cords around his forearm and forced it down again.  They hammered the ends of the cords into the floor and then quickly trussed Raph’s legs.

           More cord wound around his body and then one of the intrepid Yanari pinned Raph’s mask tails to the floor.  Unable to move, Raph bellowed, “A little help here!”

           “Hands full!” Leo sang out.  He was backing swiftly as a high chair pursued him across the dining room, two tiny creatures pushing against its legs.

           Don was hopping from foot to foot as Yanari attempted to pound his feet with their mallets.

           “Don’t let ‘em knock ya’ down!” Raph yelled.

           “Oh, thank you for that advice,” Don retorted.  When he tried to hit the creatures with his bō, they slipped around behind him and attacked his ankles.

           Mikey pulled his nunchucks, whirling them as he approached the Yanari hiding inside china cabinet.  It threw a glass pitcher at his head and he batted it aside, then deflected a cup coming straight at his face.

            The Yanari began to throw things at him as fast as it could.  Nunchucks spinning, Mikey repelled the oncoming projectiles.  Soon the creature was delving into a tray containing silverware and launching the knives and forks at the oncoming turtle.

            Leo kicked the high chair aside and leaped over the Yanari.  Running to Raph’s aid, he sidestepped as a creature swung a club at his feet, and twirled out of the path of a lasso aimed at his leg.

            Children’s plastic building blocks began pelting Don’s head and shoulders as the Yanari got into a box of kids toys.  Using his bō, Don slammed the box top down, and then dodged the vase that was flung at him.

            Reaching the china cabinet, Mikey dropped one of his nunchucks, his gaze fixated on the Yanari.  The creature seemed to suddenly realize it had trapped itself inside the cabinet and darted at the opening.

            Quick as a flash, Mikey snatched the Yanari out of midair.  Caught in his tight grip, it struggled and wiggled, gibbering shrilly what was probably a distress call.

            “Leo!  Coin!” Mikey shouted.

            Pulling the coin from his belt, Leo flipped it to Mikey.  One of the Yanari leaped off the dining table and reached for the coin.  Don lunged forward and slugged the creature, knocking it away.

            Deftly catching the trap coin, Mikey slapped it on the Yanari’s mouth.

            When the coin touched the creature, its mouth opened impossibly wide.  All of the Yanari in the room began to squeal.  The nearest one was lifted into the air before flying right down the gullet of the trapped creature.

            Each Yanari in turn was yanked from its spot and swallowed.  As they disappeared from around Leo, he rushed to Raph’s aid, slicing the cords holding him down.

            Freed, Raph jumped to his feet as the last of the Yanari was gulped down by its mate.  Taking the wax tool from his belt, Raph stomped over to Mikey’s side, watching as the final Yanari disappeared into the trap coin.

            “Gimme that,” Raph said.

            Mikey handed the coin to his brother, who placed it inside the wax tool and counted off the seconds with more than a little satisfaction.

            Looking around them, the turtles frowned at the mess they were leaving behind.  Broken objects littered the floor, furniture was tipped onto its sides, and utensils protruded from the walls.

            “Think we should try to clean this up?” Don asked.

            The open balcony door allowed them to hear the clear sounds of approaching sirens.

            “Nope,” Leo said, quickly leading the way out of the apartment.

            Once they were atop the building opposite the apartment complex, the turtles stopped to watch as police officers responded to a call about the noise they’d made.

            “Bro’s, I’ll tell you one thing that’s certain,” Mikey said as they started back towards Mr. Hidesato’s.

            “What’s that, Mikey?” Don asked.

            “Tonight’s gonna cost Mr. H more than two nights at a fancy hotel and a thousand bucks,” Mikey said.

            His brothers had to laugh in agreement.

 

End Yanari


	12. Night of the Ao nyōbō

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: The TMNT are not mine. No money being made.  
> Word Count: 7,209  
> Rated: R 2k3

            The turtles had to travel several blocks over rooftops before they could meet up with Mr. Hidesato for a ride back to headquarters.

            While he drove, they told him they’d captured the Yanari and explained that the apartment was something of a wreck.  Since the police had been called, they would probably track down the occupants and report the apparent vandalism.

            “Would it be possible to send an anonymous donation to the family to take care of repairs and pay for replacing the things that were broken?” Donatello asked.

            “Such expenditures are not the norm for warders,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Resources must be utilized wisely.”

            Raphael had been sitting silently in the back seat, his arms crossed.  It was easy to see from his expression that he was brooding about something.  Now he sat forward and in a belligerent tone said, “So it’s okay to pay to get them out of their house but it ain’t okay to make it livable enough for them to move back in, is that what you’re saying?”

            “The former is the cost of recovering a yokai, the latter is not,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “I don’t think we can break this down to a simple bookkeeping equation,” Don argued.  “If the responsibility for the creatures is ours, then I believe it is incumbent upon us to make that family whole again.”

            “They had Yanari in their apartment through no fault of their own, Mr. H,” Mikey said.

            “Leonardo?” Mr. Hidesato asked, glancing at the elder turtle.

            “I agree with my brothers,” Leo said, answering the unasked question.  “It’s only right that we fix what we’ve broken.”

            “Then it shall be done,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “Ya’ know what else was fucked up tonight?” Raph asked with a scowl.  “The fact that neither the journal nor you said a damn thing about Yanari being invisible.”

            “They were not visible?” Mr. Hidesato asked, sounding surprised.

            “No they weren’t visible,” Raph snapped.  “If it wasn’t for Mikey’s power, they’d still be invisible and we wouldn’t have caught the little suckers.”

            “That is a divergence from their normal behavior,” Mr. Hidesato said slowly.  “One that has never in hundreds of years been demonstrated.”

            “You’ve hunted them?” Leo asked.

            “With a cousin once, many years ago,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “They were quite visible, though they moved so quickly that only the sharpest eyes could track their progress.”

            “Is it possible that the invisibility was due to the adaptation process?” Don asked.  “Perhaps the way our buildings are clustered together made invisibility a necessity.  There aren’t the same types of crawl spaces and wall separations in modern apartment buildings as there would have been in conventional fifteenth century Japanese homes.”

            “Nor in the villages where I hunted the Yanari,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “In horror movies, a lot of monsters are invisible until they let you see them,” Mikey said.

            Raph frowned at him.  “What does that have to do with anything?”

            “What we talked about before,” Mikey said.  “You know, the tul . . . tul . . . what did you call it, Donny?”

            “Tulpa,” Don supplied.

            “Yeah, that,” Mikey said.  “So what if the Yanari get into the people’s apartment, make noises that the people can’t figure out, and the people start thinking the place is haunted.  Word gets around and everyone in the building starts to think the place is haunted.  Haunted equals invisible.”

            “And the Yanari then become invisible,” Don finished.  “That’s pretty smart, Mikey.”

            “See, there’s more to me than just good looks,” Mikey said smugly.

            It was a little after two in the morning when Mr. Hidesato dropped the turtles off behind the house and left to return the Rolls to the parking garage.

            The first thing that Mikey did upon entering the house was to make a beeline for the kitchen and the refrigerator.  “Anybody else want a snack?” he asked.

            “My stomach wouldn’t mind a shipment,” Raph said.

            “Sit down and let me take a look at your stitches, Leo,” Don said.

            “Not on the table,” Raph said quickly.

            Leo sat on one the chairs and Don kneeled in front of him after grabbing an antibiotic ointment from the medical closet.  Don first examined the cut on Leo’s cheek, deeming the wound that had been inflicted by the Hari onago to be healed enough so the bandages could be removed.

            Don was applying ointment to Leo’s leg when Mr. Hidesato returned.  “How is the injury?” the man asked.

            “Fortunately we heal quickly, so I should be able to remove the stitches soon,” Don answered.

            Mr. Hidesato appeared curious.  “Is that a benefit of your mutation?”

            “I believe so,” Don said as he stood up.  “We know very little about the substance that caused our mutation other than the fact that it was created by an alien race.”

            Eyes widening in surprise, Mr. Hidesato asked, “The Triceratons who invaded our planet?”

            Raph snorted.  “Nah, a different group.  There’s a whole lot of ‘em out there in space and it’d make me happy if they stayed out there.”

            “If this house is going to be our base of operations until all of the creatures are recaptured, then we should have a proper medical room,” Don said.  “Something I can set up the way the infirmary is at the lair.  I’d rather not perform any more operations on the kitchen table.  I’d rather not perform any operations at all.”

            “We could always convert the media room,” Raph suggested.

            “Oh heck no!” Mikey exclaimed, waving an oven mitt covered hand at the group.  “That’s not happening.  I’ll go on strike.  I’ll barricade myself in there.  I’ll spike every drink in the house with hot sauce.  I’ll . . . .”

            “Thank you, Mikey.  We get the idea,” Leo said.

            “I think one of the storage rooms in the basement would work,” Don said.  “The one right by the stairs and across from the bathroom.”

            “That gets my vote,” Mikey said before turning to extract a baking tray from the oven.  “Who wants some chicken wings?”

            “I will leave you four to your snack,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Shall I put away the trap coin?”

            Raph handed it to him along with the wax tool.  After he left them the brothers sat down to eat their early morning snack and then tidied the kitchen before heading up to bed.

            Darkness.

            Leonardo realized he was dreaming almost immediately.  It wasn’t the first time in his life that he’d had a lucid dream, but it was the first since becoming a warder.  That this was also a prophetic dream was clear by the way it felt and smelled.

            There was a musky, dank scent in the air.  Not the sort of smell he was familiar with from living in the sewers, but that of an older, abandoned building.  He couldn’t actually see anything, though he turned in a full circle in an attempt to get his bearings.

            When he stopped moving he noticed an area some distance in front of him now seemed clearer.  Leo began walking towards it, finally discovering that what he was seeing was light spilling through an open doorway.

            He knew that whatever the dream was trying to show him would be in that room.  With a sense of growing dread, Leo nevertheless entered the room without hesitation.

            The floor beneath his feet was now covered in tatami mats.  The illumination came from lanterns which hung from thick beams in the ceiling overhead.  Though the room appeared as though it belonged in a home of wealth and status, it looked decayed.  Cobwebs festooned the lamps and beams; a thick dust had settled over everything.

            Near a wall decorated with a mural was a woman in tattered kimonos, seated with her back to Leo.  To either side of her, on low tables, were cosmetics.  She held a small mirror in her hand, though it was angled in such a way as to prevent Leo from seeing her face.

            Leo wanted to stop walking towards her but he could not relay that message to his feet.  The sense of foreboding increased as he drew closer to her, for she did not acknowledge his presence.  Instead she continued to reach for items from her tables, constantly applying cosmetics without ever pausing.

            Heart pounding, Leonardo stopped only a few feet behind the woman.  As if suddenly realizing that she was no longer alone, the woman lowered her mirror and began to turn.

            With a gasp, Leo jerked to full wakefulness.  His sudden movement woke Mikey, who had fallen asleep with his face burrowed against Leo’s neck.

            “Bad dream?” Mikey whispered.  Raph and Don lay on the other side of him, the pair tightly cocooned in each other’s arms.

            Leo took a deep breath, held it for a count of ten, and then slowly released it.  “Yes,” he murmured, keeping his voice down.  “Prophetic.”

            “Wanna talk about it?” Mikey asked.

            “It will keep until morning,” Leo said, turning onto his side so he could wrap an arm around his brother.  “I don’t want to wake the others and I’d rather not tell it twice.”

            “Your choice,” Mikey said, turning his head so he wouldn’t yawn in Leo’s face.  “Can you go back to sleep?”

            “M~hm,” Leo mumbled.  “Halfway there already.”

            Leo woke the next morning to the feeling of Mikey’s toe digging into the back of his neck.  Slowly getting out of bed, Leo looked down at his brother and smiled.  It had taken awhile to get used to how much Mikey moved while he slept and to ignore it enough not to wake each time his younger brother shifted.

            He was just sitting down with a cup of tea when Raph shuffled into the kitchen.  After yawning and stretching, Raph said, “Morning.”

            “Good morning,” Leo responded.  “Sleep okay?”

            “Yep.  You?” Raph asked as he took the jug of milk from the refrigerator, removed the top, and began to tip it towards his mouth.

            “Glass,” Leo said.

            Raph set the milk on the counter and said, “Yes mom.”  After pouring himself a full glass, he came over to join Leo at the table.

            “Ya’ had a dream, didn’t ya’?” Raph asked after studying Leo’s expression.

            “I did,” Leo answered.  “How long do you think it will be before Don and Mikey get up?”

            “We could go roust them right now,” Raph said.  “Do we need to?”

            “Half an hour,” Leo said.  “If they’re not up by then, we will.  I want to get in some practice and then we’ll need to hit the books.  My dream had some pretty specific features that we should be able to recognize.”

            “Or ya’ could just tell them to Mr. H and see what he says,” Raph said.

            Leo nodded towards the bulletin board.  “He left a note.  He’s going to be out for an indeterminate amount of time taking care of business obligations.  His words.”

            “He knows a lot of them,” Raph muttered.  “He likes using them to avoid answering direct questions.”

            Don had wandered in and heard the tail end of their conversation.  “That’s probably his diplomatic training,” he said as he began his morning ritual with the coffee maker.

            “If he keeps talking without saying anything then one of these days I’m gonna pop him in his diplomatic mouth,” Raph stated.

            “That might not be as easy to do as you seem to think,” Leo said mildly.  “Donny, is Mikey still conked out?”

            “I nudged him when I got up,” Don said, turning to lean against the counter.  “He’s in the bathroom.  He said for you to wait for him before you started telling us your dream.  I’m guessing that means you had another one.”

            Leo nodded.  “It woke both of us up.  This time I knew I was dreaming as soon as it started.”

            Mikey came racing into the kitchen.  “What did I miss?  You didn’t start without me, did you?”

            “No.  I just told them that I knew I was dreaming this time,” Leo said.

            He continued, explaining the dream in as much detail as possible.  Unlike regular dreams, his prophetic ones were vivid in his mind even hours later.

            “How come ya’ woke up before she turned around?” Raph asked when Leo had finished talking.

            “I really don’t know,” Leo said.  “I’ll be honest, I didn’t want to approach her in the first place.  For some reason I didn’t seem to have enough control of myself to stop.”

            Don had taken a seat at the table and after enjoying a sip of coffee said, “Maybe it wasn’t you.”

            “What the hell does that mean?” Raph asked.

            “Oh, oh, I know,” Mikey said excitedly.  “You were dreaming someone else’s experience.  Right, Donny?”

            “That wouldn’t be a prophetic dream then,” Leo said, frowning.  “Not if it’s already happened to someone.”

            “It probably hasn’t,” Don said.  “You dreamt about the young couple being killed by the Jubokko before it happened.”

            “I saw that dream as though I was watching a movie,” Leo pointed out.  “This time I was an active participant.”

            “You were viewing a future occurrence through the eyes of a victim,” Don said.  “The reason you had no control was because the body belonged to someone else.  I’m going to guess that when the woman turns around, something catastrophic occurs.  That’s why you woke up.  At that point, your connection to the victim is broken.”

            “Next time, pull out a wallet so we can get a name,” Raph said.

            Leo pushed back from the table and got up.  “Hopefully there is enough detail from that dream to tell us what we’re after.  Time for practice.  The ground’s crew is supposed to be here today, so it’s the dojo for us.”

            Shoving thoughts of his dream and a potential yokai victim from his mind, Leo led his brothers through a training session.  Afterwards, they each hit the showers to get cleaned up and then regrouped in the office.

            “I gotta say one thing about this house, it sure is nice having a lot of bathrooms to choose from,” Raph said.  “No standing in line or running out of hot water.”

            “Mr. Hidesato hasn’t returned yet,” Don said.  “I used the second floor bathroom and knocked on his door when I got out.”

            “I’ll start on the journals,” Leo said.  “Don, run the information from my dream through your computer and see if you get a match.  Also scan all the local papers for any news of weirdness that might fall under our purview.”

            “I guess I’ll tackle journals too,” Raph said.  “We can listen to that wacky radio station and see if anything came up last night.”

            “I can check the news channels,” Mikey said quickly.

            Leo moved over to a bookcase and Don disappeared into the war room.  Raph snapped his fingers as though remembering something and said, “I saw some steaks in the freezer.  Be back in a minute, I’m gonna take them out to thaw.”

            He left the room, glad that nothing in his tone had alerted Leo.  Raph was on the staircase when Mikey nipped out of the office.

            “I took those steaks out last night,” Mikey said.  “What are you up to?”

            “Keep it down,” Raph said.  “Mr. H ain’t here and this is my chance to see if I can find the missing journals.  I’m gonna search his room and see if he’s hiding them from us.”

            “Leo’s not going to like that,” Mikey said.

            “If they ain’t there, no harm, no foul,” Raph said.  “Nobody needs to know I looked.  If they are there, then we got bigger problems than my invading his privacy.”

            Mikey grimaced.  “We never had this conversation,” he said before slipping back into the office.

            Raph took the stairs two at a time but slowed down once he was on the second floor.  He silently approached the door to Mr. Hidesato’s room and pressed his head against it to listen.  Though Don’s knock hadn’t been answered, it didn’t mean that the man was not inside.

            Hearing nothing, Raph tried the door.  It wasn’t locked the first time Raph had taken it upon himself to search the room and it wasn’t locked now either.

            Opening it just enough to stick his head into the room, Raph glanced around to verify that it was empty.  The entrance to the bathroom was open and the lights were off, so Raph slid into the room and shut the door behind him.

            A quick yet thorough check of the bedroom and bathroom turned up no journals, so Raph applied himself to the walk-in closet.  This took a little longer because either Mr. Hidesato or his uncle was a bit of a clothes hog.

            When he found nothing, Raph moved on to the hidden security room.  There was one locked filing cabinet inside but picking the lock was child’s play.  There was nothing of note in the cabinet and the journals were nowhere to be found.

            Frustrated, Raph decided that Mr. Hidesato was too sly to keep anything suspicious in his own room.  The search was going to have to be expanded.  One thing was for sure; Raph stubbornly held onto the belief that Mr. Hidesato was trying to keep something from them.  Leo might be willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt, but Raph was determined to find out what Mr. H was hiding.

            Sure that he’d left everything just as he’d found it, Raph exited the closet.  When he turned around he found himself face to face with Mr. Hidesato.

            Arms crossed, Mr. Hidesato asked, “Have you misplaced something, Raphael?”

            “I’m looking for something I think _you_ must have misplaced,” Raph said, unfazed at being caught in the act.  “We’re missing at least one journal and something tells me you’ve got it.”

            “You had only to ask,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I have no journals.”

            “Leo started writing in one he said belonged to your uncle,” Raph said.  “It ain’t in the office now.  Why did ya’ take it?”

            “My uncle’s journal?  I do not recall seeing one written by him,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Perhaps Leonardo is mistaken.”

            “Are ya’ calling my brother a liar?” Raph asked, his tone dangerous.

            “Not at all,” Mr. Hidesato said, appearing unruffled.  “There have been other people in the house.  Perhaps someone on the cleaning staff mislaid a journal or two.  I am not at all certain my uncle even kept a journal.”

            “I thought that was a tradition in your clan,” Raph said.  “I thought that was part of the job when it came to catching creatures.”

            “No two warders do things in exactly the same fashion, Raphael,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I have ancestors who were unable to read and write.”

            “Your uncle could do both,” Raph snapped.  “Leo saw his damn journal.  What’s in it that ya’ don’t want us to know about?”

            “I cannot answer your question,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “Can’t or won’t?” Raph demanded.

            “Let me assure you that your suspicions of me are unfounded,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I am withholding nothing of import.”

            Raphael clenched his fists.  “Now why don’t I believe ya’?”

            “Raph!” Leo called from the doorway.  “What are you doing in here?”

            “What do ya’ think I’m doing?” Raph countered.  “I don’t like being lied to and I don’t like when people hide things from me.”

            “This isn’t the way to solve differences,” Leo said in a measured tone.  “We have to work together and we need to trust each other.”

            Raph scowled at him and marched towards the door, shoving past Leo.  “Ya’ be sure and let me know when I can trust _him_.”

            Leo remained where he was as Raph tramped downstairs.  He and Mr. Hidesato stared at one another for a couple of minutes, neither saying anything.

            It was Mr. Hidesato who spoke first.  “This issue of trust cannot be resolved as long as Raphael is certain that I am withholding information from the four of you.”

            “To be very frank, you _have_ withheld knowledge from us,” Leo said.  “The existence of a Warder High Council for one thing.  Would you have told us about them if we hadn’t forced you to be forthcoming?”

            “If you had needed to know of them, I would have told you,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I was dealing with them and your involvement was not required.  Should anything arise that I believe you have a need to know, then I will immediately share it with you and your brothers.”

            It did not escape Leo’s notice that Mr. Hidesato had said ‘that I believe you have a need to know’.

            “The threat of other warders coming to New York _was_ something we needed to know,” Leo said.  “For obvious reasons we can’t have contact with them.  You don’t know us well enough to decide what information to withhold.  I truly hope that Raphael’s suspicions are unfounded.  If you want to assuage them, you’re going to have to be more accessible and communicative.”

            “Were you in need of my expertise?” Mr. Hidesato asked.  “Perhaps you had a dream last night?”

            “I did,” Leo said.  “Could you join us in the office when you get a chance?  We need help finding a starting place for this hunt.”

            Mr. Hidesato bowed his head in acknowledgement.  “I will be down shortly.”

            The interaction left Leo feeling unsatisfied, but an all-out war with the man wasn’t something he wanted.  Saying they would walk away from their task as warders was one thing, doing so another.

            If they could even walk away at this point.  It was no longer just a question of protecting the city or trying to keep Casey from wallowing in guilt and attempting to do the job himself.  All four of them had somehow acquired powers that they couldn’t control.  Not only that, they weren’t sure if those powers could be removed.

            Raph was pacing the office when Leo entered.  As soon as he saw his brother, Raph demanded, “Did ya’ ask him about the missing journal?”

            “No I did not,” Leo said.  “You invaded his privacy to search for it and came up empty.  I’m not going to throw around accusations without any proof.”

            “What are ya’ gonna do, let him call the shots even though he’s keeping secrets?” Raph asked, clearly aggravated.

            “We’re going to be smart and find out what we need to know without going straight at the man,” Leo said.

            Raph’s eyes narrowed.  “Ya’ got something up your sleeve?”

            “I’ve got a couple of ideas,” Leo said.  “He’s going to be down here at any minute.  Let’s shelve this discussion until we know that we’re alone.”

            Leo called Don and Mikey into the room when Mr. Hidesato arrived.  Raph was seated on the couch with a journal and pointedly ignored the man as Leo explained his dream.

            “I am certain that what you experienced was an Ao nyōbō,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “Ao as in blue?” Leo asked.  “She wasn’t blue.”

            “The reference has nothing to do with color,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It comes from a lack of maturity or experience.  Nyōbō were the court ladies of old Japan.  They served in palaces until they could be married off to a worthy suitor.  Ao nyōbō refers to low-ranking women of the court who could not seem to catch a husband or to elevate themselves enough to escape poverty.  The term is an insult but is very befitting of this yokai.”

            “What’s her deal?” Mikey asked.

            “Ao nyōbō inhabit the abandoned homes of once wealthy people or people of stature,” Mr. Hidesato answered.  “They wait inside the home, constantly adjusting their image in anticipation of the arrival of some guest who never shows up, usually a lover who has lost interest or a cheating husband.  Anyone else who visits the home is devoured by the Ao nyōbō and then she goes back to vainly waiting.”

            “The mirror, the makeup,” Leo said.  “She was preening herself.”

            “Exactly.  The Ao nyōbō wears the white face of ancient courtiers and her body is covered in the many-layered kimonos of older eras.  Her clothing will be tattered, her body aged and wrinkled from years of waiting in musty ruins.  She is no longer beautiful, only bent and twisted and most horrifying to look upon,” Mr. Hidesato said.

            “How do we capture the Ao nyōbō?” Don asked.

            “The trap coin must touch her mirror,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “It will affix to the mirror and thus pull the yokai inside.  There is nothing more important to this yokai than her mirror.”

            Mikey raised his hand.  “Next question, how do we find her?”

            “That is more difficult,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “She will have settled into a house of some opulence, but one which has been abandoned.  It will not have been abandoned due to a structural issue or because a family has traded up.  This yokai is drawn to a particular despair, that of ruined families.”

            “Bankruptcy,” Don said.  “Foreclosure.  Homes seized because the owners couldn’t pay their mortgage.”

            “That’s something ya’ can search records for, ain’t it?” Raph asked, addressing his brother.

            “Of course,” Don said.  “The problem is, there are bound to be a lot of them in this city.  We don’t even know if it’s a house, a condo, or an apartment building.”

            “In my dream, the interior design was distinctly Japanese,” Leo said.  “Would those records give descriptions of the residences?”

            “If the bank wanted to sell the home then they would,” Don said.  “It’ll take a lot of winnowing, but I think I can find likely candidates.”

            “Who’d be going into these houses by themselves?” Raph asked.  “I mean, Leo was in the house on his own.  Whoever’s eyes it was that he was looking through had a way into the house.  If it was a buyer wouldn’t someone be tagging along with them?”

            “A realtor,” Don said.  “Certainly if someone was going to sell such a residence, they’d want to inspect it first.”

            “Mikey can check the news outlets to learn if any realtors have gone missing,” Leo said.  “Don, run down a list of homes that fit the criteria we’ve discussed.  Would there be interior pictures?”

            “Not in its current state,” Don said.  “If the people who owned it were prominent citizens, then there will probably be pictures in online archives.”

            “Raph and I can jump on computers and look for those,” Leo said.  “I’ll recognize that room if I see it.”

            “And what about him?” Raph asked, jerking a thumb in Mr. Hidesato’s direction.  “It ain’t like he don’t have a dog in this hunt.”

            “I will make some phone calls,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “I have sources in the banking industry from whom I can learn if there are any homes which have not formally gone on the market.”

            “Let’s get to work then,” Leo said.  “We probably only have until dusk to locate the yokai or she’s going to claim the person in my dream as her next victim.”

            Mr. Hidesato excused himself to use the phone at his desk upstairs.  The four brothers gathered in the war room to begin their respective tasks.

            They had been quietly working for about ten minutes when Raph asked, “Donny, could ya’ check real quick to see if ya’ scanned in anything about the Ao nyōbō?”

            “Nothing popped earlier when I plugged in the description of Leo’s dream,” Don said.  “I’ll try it with her name.  Can I ask why?”

            “I want to check the journal entry against what Mr. H told us,” Raph said.  “Call it covering all our bases.”

            “Because you don’t trust him,” Mikey said.

            “’Cause he leaves stuff out,” Raph said.  “Invisible yokai with lassos. _Pfft_.”

            Mikey’s eyes twinkled mischievously.  “I kinda liked their idea of tying you down.  I vote we give that a try.  Anyone else with me?”

            There was a chorus of ayes from Leo and Don.  “The ayes have it,” Mikey said with a grin.  “I wonder where Mr. H keeps the rope.”

            “Shut up,” Raph growled good-naturedly.

            Before long Donatello had compiled a list of possible addresses, to which Mr. Hidesato added some additional ones.  Exhaustive searches uncovered images of home interiors which one by one were discarded by Leo as not fitting what he’d seen in his dream.

            No realtors, housing agents, or bank representatives had shown up on a missing persons’ inquiry.  Time was slipping by and Leo found himself growing anxious.

            “If we don’t get her tonight, she’s going to claim her first victim,” Leo said, pushing aside uneaten the sandwich that Mikey had brought to him a half hour earlier.

            “You still have to eat bro’,” Mikey said.  “Do you want something else?  Some fruit maybe?”

            “What I want is the Ao nyōbō’s location,” Leo said.  “Are there any more clues in the journal?”

            Don’s computer program didn’t have an entry for the yokai, but Mikey remembered seeing something in one of the books he’d flipped through.  He’d found the journal and Raph was reading it through for a second time.

            Raph closed the journal with a snap.  “None.  All is says is what Mr. H already told us.”

            “I’m starting to think that tracking them down is worse than actually trying to catch them,” Mikey said.  “Well, almost.”

            “Look, we’ve got it down to four houses that might fit the bill,” Don said, glancing at the clock.  “There are no interior pictures of them anywhere.  Two had been owned by Japanese businessmen, one by a former ambassador to Japan, and another by a well-traveled archeologist.”

            “All four homes were foreclosed on?” Leo asked.

            Don nodded.  “Yes, and all within the last two months.  How do we decide?”

            “Split up and break into all four of them?” Raph asked.  “Check for the room Leo saw and if it ain’t there, get the hell out.”

            “If one of us is alone when the realtor shows up, then what?” Leo asked.  “Expose ourselves to get him out of the house?  If we don’t catch him in time and we’re not the one carrying the trap coin, there would be no way to stop the yokai from devouring him.”

            “I don’t know any other way to do this, Leo,” Don said.

            Mr. Hidesato had been sitting quietly to the side as the turtles worked.  Now he leaned forward and said, “Perhaps this would be a good time to learn if you can access your power in a more conscious way, Leonardo.”

            “How do you mean?” Leo asked, turning towards the man.

            “Your foresight in the dream belonged to another person,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “If you can access that person’s thoughts again, perhaps who can learn something about them which would tell you the house they will be visiting.”

            “It’s worth a try, Leo,” Don said.  “We’re going to lose the sun in about forty minutes.”

            “Meditation,” Leo said as he got out of his chair.  “I’ll go to the dojo.”

            “Go with him, Donny,” Mikey said.  “Fire up some candles and turn out the lights.  You’re the mellowest of us so you can use that soothing voice of yours to help him reach the right state quicker.”

            “I will get the car and have it standing by,” Mr. Hidesato said, leaving the room.

            After Leo and Don departed for the dojo, Raph said, “Let’s get the coin and wax tool.  I have a feeling every second is gonna count.”

            While Leo got into a comfortable position on the mats in the dojo, Don fetched some candles from one of the storage rooms.  After setting them down near Leo, he lit them and then turned out the lights.

            Sitting down across from his brother, Don said, “Okay Leo, I want you to focus on the sound of my voice.  There is nothing but my voice.  Allow all thoughts to slide away.  Your body is weightless.  There is no light or dark.  There is no sight or sound other than my voice.”

            He continued speaking in a low, even monotone, watching as Leo’s face and body relaxed.  Once he was certain that Leo had reached a suggestible state, Don carefully chose what to say next.

            “You’re going into an old home,” Don said.  “Do you see the home?”

            The symbols on Leo’s arm began to glow and his head tipped forward in acknowledgment.

           “You open the door,” Don instructed.  “The first thing you notice is the smell.  Do you smell it?”

            Leo nodded, his face wrinkling slightly as if assailed by an unpleasant odor.

            “You want to be sure you’re in the right place,” Don said.  “Can you step back outside?’

            Once more Leo nodded, his expression smoothing out again.

            “You look for a number,” Don said.  “A number on the house.  Do you see one?”

            Leo’s head turned from left to right, stopped, and then straightened as he nodded.

            “Tell me the number,” Don said.

            “Five fifty-two,” Leo responded.

            “Good, very good,” Don said, trying to quell his excitement.  That was the number of one of the four homes on their final list.  “Come back to yourself now.  Move away from the house.  It’s not time to go inside.”

            “Not time,” Leo repeated.  The glow from the warder symbols faded and a moment later Leo opened his eyes.

            “It worked,” Leo said.

            “Yes it did, hurry now,” Don said as he blew out the candles.  Leo seemed a little out of sorts and Don helped him to his feet.  “Are you okay?”

            “Slightly disoriented, like with my dreams,” Leo answered.  “It’ll pass.”

            They ran upstairs to find their brothers waiting for them.

            “I’ve got the coin and wax tool,” Raph said.  “Mr. H has the car idling at the curb.”

            “We’ve got the address,” Don said, heading for the front door.  “It’s the small mansion in Brooklyn Heights.”

            Don gave the address to Mr. Hidesato as soon as the turtles were in the car.  He drove quickly, following Donatello’s directions in order to take the fastest route.  Dusk had arrived and full darkness would descend in only minutes.

            “We’re not going to be on time,” Leo said suddenly.

            He had seemed withdrawn since coming out of his trance.  Don glanced at him and saw that the warder symbols on his arm were beginning to glow again.

            “Leo?” Don asked.  “Leo, what are you doing?”

            “Connected,” Leo said, slowly closing his eyes.  “Linked.  Slow him down.”

            He became silent, the glow from his symbols brightening the interior of the car.

            “Leo?  Leo, what the hell?” Raph asked, leaning towards his brother.

            “I don’t think he can hear you,” Mikey said.

            Raph looked towards Don, who was in the front seat.  “How long, Donny?”

            “Couple of minutes,” Don said.

            Mr. Hidesato took a turn quickly, jostling the car’s occupants, but Leo barely moved.  He was statue like, his head down and hands clasped in his lap.

            The house loomed up in front of them, five stories tall with hedges lining the sidewalk.  A dark colored town car was parked at the curb and Mr. Hidesato pulled in behind it.

            “We’re here Leo,” Raph announced.  He got no response from his brother.

            “I will stay with him,” Mr. Hidesato said.  “Go quickly.  The realtor is already here.”

            Don, Raph, and Mikey dashed up the front walkway, unconcerned about showing themselves to whoever was inside.  As they reached the stairs going up to the house, they saw a man standing there watching them.  He did not move or seem startled at seeing three huge mutant turtles hurtling towards him.

            It was Don who realized what was happening.  “Is that you, Leo?”

            “This was the only way to stop him from going inside until you got here,” Leo/realtor said.

            “Put him back in his car and snap out of it so ya’ can join us,” Raph said.

            “I can’t do that,” Leo/realtor said.  “The Ao nyōbō won’t come out for us.  Once I’m inside, she’ll sense a human presence and put in an appearance.  You’ll come in then and capture her.”

            “You sure about this, Leo?” Mikey asked.

            “Positive.  Give me a couple of minutes and then follow me,” Leo/realtor said as he unlocked the front door and stepped inside.

            “Man, I do not like this,” Raph said, his fingers twitching against the handles of his sai.

            “No more do I,” Don said.  “That’s a lot of control that Leo’s trying to maintain.”

            Mikey peered into the dark interior of the house.  “I can’t see a thing.”

            “That’s it, I ain’t waiting any longer,” Raph said, striding inside.

            The brothers had only taken a few steps when Mikey’s symbols lit up.  “Looks like he drew her out.”

            “Then where the hell is he?” Raph demanded.

            “There,” Don whispered, pointing ahead and to their right.  Standing in the doorway of a lighted room was the occupied body of the realtor.

            Don grabbed Raph’s arm as his brother started forward.  “Slow,” Don instructed.  “We need for Leo to get out of the way.”

            The trio moved cautiously, watching as Leo began moving farther into the lighted room.  By the time they gained the doorway, he’d reached the midpoint, his gaze fixated on a woman seated on a low stool.  Her back was turned to them and to either side of her were jars and tubs filled with cosmetics.

            Tattered robes splayed out around her and her jet black hair hung nearly to the floor.  She dabbed a brush into a bowl containing something of a bright reddish hue and brought the brush around to her face, which none of them could see.

            Leo was still walking towards her, looking almost mesmerized.

            “Time to stop, Leo,” Raph hissed at his brother.

            For a second it seemed as if Leo had not heard him.  Then with one foot off the ground, Leo froze.

            As he did, the Ao nyōbō whipped around, coming to her feet in one smooth motion.

            Rising to a height that brought her head nearly to the ceiling, her vividly tinted mouth stretched impossibly wide.  Her countenance was horrific, the white paint cracking over wrinkles that hung from her face and neck.

            Her eyes were sunken, black things highlighted by false eyelashes.  Her nose and chin drooped and jiggled as she moved.

            Clawed fingers easily three feet in length reached for the body of the man who stood before her.

            Mikey was a blur of orange as he bolted into the room.  Grabbing Leo around the waist, he flung both himself and his brother to one side as the clawed fingers closed on the spot where they had just been.

            A shriek that shook the room informed them that the creature had recognized their symbols.

            The sound seemed to activate Donatello’s warder magic and its radiance suffused his entire body, traveling along the length of his bo.

            “Mirror!” Don yelled, darting forward and batting the Ao nyōbō’s hands aside with his weapon.

            “Which one?” Raph shouted.

            Ducking out of the yokai’s reach, Don looked towards the makeup tables.  Scattered on the floor around them were several hand mirrors.  Mirrors began to appear on the walls, blinking into existence almost faster than the eye could see.

            Mikey dragged Leo from the room, pushing him down on a nearby staircase.  “Stay there,” he ordered before returning to help the other two turtles.

            Don continued to battle the Ao nyōbō, using his bo to counter her height advantage and keep her away from them.  “Start smashing them!” he called out.  “If it doesn’t break, it’s hers!”

            Nunchucks in hand, Mikey began shattering the mirrors on the wall.  Raph used his sai to splinter the ones scattered around the tables, stomping on others with his bare feet.

            “Ow!” Don yelped as one of the claws swept past his protection and raked an ugly trench across his upper arm.

            In the split second that his concentration was broken, the yokai twisted towards Raphael.  Throwing himself into a forward roll, Don came up under her outstretched arms and slammed his staff against her elbows.

            “Ya’ okay, Donny?” Raph asked.

            “Yes!  Mikey, it’s the mirrors on the floor!  Help Raph!” Don exclaimed.

            Dancing past the clutching, screeching demon, Mikey joined Raph and began crushing the hand mirrors strewn across the floor.  The tip of a clawed finger caught the end of one of Mikey’s mask tails and jerked his head back, but Don dislodged it with an upwards sweep of his bo.

            The tips of Raph’s sai came down simultaneously on two mirrors.  One immediately shattered; the other did not.

            “Got it!” Raph yelled.

            Dropping one of his weapons, he yanked the trap coin from his belt and smacked it against the mirror.

            The yokai’s scream was near deafening.  Slapping their hands over their ears, the turtles cringed as the sound cut to their very core.  Suddenly the Ao nyōbō’s body rolled upwards, struck the ceiling and then in its entirety sped towards the mirror.

            Raph shoved Mikey backwards, leaping aside as well when the yokai hit the trap coin.  Her feet entered first, her gown fluttering grotesquely before it was swallowed.

            The last thing to disappear was her hideous face and the wide black maw which was still screaming as it disintegrated.

            Springing forward, Raph snatched up the coin and placed it into the wax tool.

            Around them the mirrors and makeup all vanished.  The lights went out, leaving them standing in darkness.

            Mikey took out his flashlight and shone it around the room.  There was no longer any sign that the space had been occupied by anything.  Don was clutching his arm, blood dripping over his fingers and Mikey rushed to his side.

            “Here,” Mikey said, removing his mask and using it to tie off the cut.  “That’s gonna need stitches.”

            “Leo,” Don said, unconcerned with his injury.  He all but ran to the foyer, where he found the realtor still sitting on the steps.

            The man looked up at his approach and Don could tell that Leo remained inside of him.  “It’s done,” Don said softly, squatting in front of his brother.  “Go back to your body now.”

            Nodding, the man’s eyes closed and Don backed away, signaling for Mikey and Raph to do the same.  Mikey switched off his flashlight when the man began to groan and all three of the turtles quickly exited the house.

            In the Rolls they found that Leo was just coming to.  Mr. Hidesato had already started the car and once the doors were closed, he pulled away from the curb.

            “How ya’ doing, Leo?” Raph asked.

            “My head hurts,” Leo said groggily.

            “How about you, Donny?  You had to use your powers too,” Mikey said.

            “I feel like I just went through one of Master Splinter’s seven hour training sessions,” Don said, sounding tired.

            “We got that bitch,” Raph said, “but these fights ain’t getting any easier.”

            “The price,” Leo murmured.

            “What’s that, bro’?” Mikey asked.

            Lifting his head, Leo said, “We can save people, but there’s a price to be paid.”

            “He means the downside to our gifts,” Don said.  “The plus and minus to everything.”

            “I just call it turtle luck,” Raph said.  “Keep crossing your fingers that ours holds out.”

 

End Ao nyōbō

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 


End file.
